Recommended Nomenclature for Zeolite Minerals: Report of the Subcommittee on Zeolites of the International Mineralogical Association, Commission on New Minerals and Mineral Names

Douglas S. Coombs, Alberto Alberti, Thomas Armbruster, Gilberto Artioli, Carmine Colella, Ermanno Galli, Joel D. Grice, Friedrich Liebau, Joseph A. Mandarino, Hideo Minato, Ernest H. Nickel, Elio Passaglia, Donald R. Peacor, Simona Quartieri, Romano Rinaldi, Malcolm Ross, Richard A. Sheppard, Ekkehart Tillmanns and Giovanna Vezzalini

Geology Department, University of Otago, P.O. Box 56, Dunedin, New Zealand
Istituto di Mineralogia, Università di Ferrara, Corso Ercole I^o d'Este, 32, I-44100, Italy
Laboratorium für chemische und mineralogische Kristallographie, Universität Bern, Freiestrasse 3, CH-3012 Bern, Switzerland
Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra, Università di Milano, via Botticelli, 23, I-20133 Milano, Italy
Dipartimento di Ingegneria dei Materiali e della Produzione, Università Federico II di Napoli, Piazzale V. Tecchio 80, I-80125 Napoli, Italy
Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra, Università di Modena, via S. Eufemia, 19, I-41100 Modena, Italy
Mineral Sciences Division, Canadian Museum of Nature, Ottawa, Ontario K1P 6P4, Canada
Mineralogisch-Petrographisches Institut, Universität Kiel, Olshausenstrasse 40, D-24098 Kiel, Germany
Department of Mineralogy, Royal Ontario Museum, Toronto, Ontario M5S 2C6, Canada
5-37-17 Kugayama, Suginami-ku, Tokyo 168, Japan
Division of Exploration and Mining, CSIRO, Private Bag, Wembley 6014, Western Australia, Australia
Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra, Università di Modena, via S. Eufemia, 19, I-41100 Modena, Italy
Department of Geological Sciences, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, U.S.A.
Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra, Università di Modena, via S. Eufemia, 19, I-41100 Modena, Italy
Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra, Università di Perugia, I-06100 Perugia, Italy
U.S. Geological Survey, MS 954, Reston, Virginia 20192, U.S.A.
U.S. Geological Survey, MS 939, Box 25046, Federal Centre, Denver, Colorado 80225, U.S.A.
Institut für Mineralogie und Kristallographie, Universitä Wien, Althanstasse 14, A-1090, Wien, Austria
Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra, Università di Modena, via S. Eufemia, 19, I-41100 Modena, Italy

Abstract: This report embodies recommendations on zeolite nomenclature approved by the International Mineralogical Association Commission on New Minerals and Mineral Names. In a working definition of a zeolite mineral used for this review, interrupted tetrahedral framework structures are accepted where other zeolitic properties prevail, and complete substitution by elements other than Si and Al is allowed. Separate species are recognized in topologically distinctive compositional series in which different extra-framework cations are the most abundant in atomic proportions. To name these, the appropriate chemical symbol is attached by a hyphen to the series name as a suffix except for the names harmotome, pollucite and wairakite in the phillipsite and analcime series. Differences in spacegroup symmetry and in order—disorder relationships in zeolites having the same topologically distinctive framework do not in general provide adequate grounds for recognition of separate species. Zeolite species are not to be distinguished solely on Si : Al ratio except for heulandite (Si : Al < 4.0) and clinoptilolite (Si : Al ⩾ 4.0). Dehydration, partial hydration, and over-hydration are not sufficient grounds for the recognition of separate species of zeolites. Use of the term ‘ideal formula’ should be avoided in referring to a simplified or averaged formula of a zeolite.

Newly recognized species in compositional series are as follows: brewsterite-Sr, -Ba; chabazite-Ca, - Na, -K; clinoptilolite-K, -Na, -Ca; dachiardite-Ca, -Na; erionite-Na, -K, -Ca; faujasite-Na, -Ca, -Mg; ferrierite-Mg, -K, -Na; gmelinite-Na, -Ca, -K; heulandite-Ca, -Na, -K, -Sr; levyne-Ca, -Na; paulingite-K, -Ca; phillipsite-Na, -Ca, -K; stilbite-Ca, -Na.

Key references, type locality, origin of name, chemical data, IZA structure-type symbols, space-group symmetry, unit-cell dimensions, and comments on structure are listed for 13 compositional series, 82 accepted zeolite mineral species, and three of doubtful status. Herschelite, leonhardite, svetlozarite, and wellsite are discredited as mineral species names. Obsolete and discredited names are listed.