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Retzian-(La), a new mineral from Sterling Hill, Sussex County, New Jersey

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  05 July 2018

Pete J. Dunn ,
Donald R. Peacor  and
William B. Simmons
Pete J. Dunn
Affiliation:
Department of Mineral Sciences, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC 20560
Donald R. Peacor
Affiliation:
Department of Geological Sciences, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109
William B. Simmons
Affiliation:
Department of Earth Sciences, University of New Orleans, New Orleans, Louisiana 70148
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Abstract

Retzian-(La), ideally, Mn2La(AsO4)(OH)4, is a new rare-earth analogue of retzian and retzian-(Nd). It was found associated with willemite, calcite, and franklinite, in the Stealing Hill Mine, Ogdensburg, Sussex County, New Jersey, USA. Retzian-(La) is orthorhombic, space group Pban, with a = 5.670(7), b = 12.01(1), and c = 4.869(8) Å. The strongest lines in the X-ray powder diffraction pattern are (d,I/I0,hkl): 3.51 80 111, 2.715 100 131, 1.848 50 061, 1.456 40. Microprobe analysis yielded MnO 25.2, MgO 3.7, ZnO 1.2, As2O5 26.5, La2O3 10.6, Ce2O3 8.8, Nd2O3 8.2, Pr2O3 5.1, Sm2O3 2.2, Y2O3 2.5, H2O [7.7], sum = 101.7 wt. %, corresponding to an La-dominant member of the retzian series.

Retzian-(La) forms 0.5 mm euhedral crystals composed of the forms {001}, {010}, {110}, and {150}; the crystals have pseudohexagonal habit. It is reddish-brown, with vitreous luster, no cleavage, density > 4.2 g/cm3. Optically, it is biaxial, positive, 2V = 82° with α = 1.766, β = 1.773, and γ = 1.788. Dispersion is strong, r > v; pleochroism is very weak; orientation is X = c, Y= b, Z = a; absorption is Z > Y > X.

Type
Research Article
Information
Mineralogical Magazine , Volume 48 , Issue 349 , December 1984 , pp. 533 - 535
Copyright
Copyright © The Mineralogical Society of Great Britain and Ireland 1984

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References

Drake, M. J., and Weill, D. F. (1972) Chem. Geol. 10, 179–81.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Dunn, P. J., and Sturman, B. D. (1982) Am. Mineral. 67, 841–5.Google Scholar
Levinson, A. A. (1966) Ibid. 51, 152–8.Google Scholar
Moore, P. B. (1967) Ibid. 52, 1603–13.Google Scholar