Milarite was found in a cavity of a small pegmatitic segregation in association with albite, stilpnomelane and chabazite. Hexagonal, well-shaped crystals of milarite up to 4 mm in length are transparent, pale green in colour, and show bright green cathodoluminescence. The refractive indices are: ω = 1.535, ε = 1.534(Na). D = 2.55 g cm−3. The unit cell dimensions are: a 10.418(4), c 13.817(7) Å, V 1298.7 Å3. Anomalous biaxial sectors and birefringent optical patterns are visible in basal section. 2V varies from 34° in the {0001} sector to 64° in {101} sector. OAP azimuths are related to the external hexagonal symmetry of the crystals. Microprobe analyses of sections perpendicular and parallel to the c-axis revealed a uniform distribution of alkalis, mainly K2O, whereas CaO and Al2O3 contents are slightly higher in prismatic and pyramidal sectors than in the basal sector, but no systematic chemical zoning can be distinguished. The Al2O3 content decreases in the outer zone of the crystal studied due to Be-Al substitution. The average ‘anhydrous’ chemical formula of the Strzegom milarite is: (K0.98Na0.01)Ca1.93Mn0.02(Be2.16Al0.93)(Si12O30). Infra-red data indicate the presence of H2O molecules in the milarite. Internal growth structures of the crystals indicate rhythmic fluctuations of the growth rate resulting in an internal strain, inducing anomalous optical patterns. HRTEM study did not reveal any significant distortion of the milarite lattice.

Nodules of manganoan fayalite occur in schlieren pegmatities in the vicinity of Strzegom, Lower Silesia. The fayalite, Na0.02(Fe1.812+Mn0.16Mg 0.03)Si0.99O4, is unzoned and non pleochroic. 2Va = 42° a 4.826(3), b 10.500(2), c 6.102(2) A, d130obs. = 2.83 Å, d130calc. = 2.833 Å, D = 4.35 g cm-3, Dcalc. = 4.353 g cm-3. The role of Na+ ions in the fayalite chemistry is discussed. The fayalite underwent multi-stage hydrothermal alteration beginning at the highest temperature (440°C) of homogenization of gaseous-fluid inclusions in quartz adjacent to the fayalite grains. Increase in fO2 and then in PH2O resulted in the formation of magnetite-quartz and Mn-grunerite-magnetite-quartz aggregates within the fayalite grains. The fayalite is mantled by a Mn-greenalite-magnetite rim, Mn-grunerite-magnetite-Mn-minnesotaite zone in a stilpnomelane or greenalite-rich groundmass. The minnesotaite is believed to have formed at the expense of grunerite. Stilpnomelane, the most abundant silicate phase in the rim, is the product of biotite and presumably greenalite alteration at the second stage of increasing Na activity (the crystallization of cleavelandite) in the pegmatites. The fayalite is also heavily altered to iddingsite—a composite mixture of amorphous FeOOH and silica. The iron-hydroxide recrystallized partially to poorly-crystalline goethite.