Delorenzite Is Tanteuxenite

J. R. Butler and P. G. Embrey
Imperial College, London
Dept. of Mineralogy, British Museum (Natural history)

Summary: Specimens of delorenzite from the type locality, Craveggia, Val Vigezzo, Piemont, have been examined and found to be close to tanteuxenite from Australia. The X-ray powder patterns are virtually the same, and the chemical analyses (including the relative abundances of the rare earths) are closely similar.

Zambonini's original (1908) specimens have not been re-examined, but are without reasonable doubt the same as the specimens now described; the considerable discrepancies between the old and new analyses can be explained by the difficulty of the separations. It is suggested that the name delorenzite be abandoned despite its priority because of its association with an incorrect analysis.

Mineralogical Magazine; December 1959 v. 32; no. 247; p. 308-313; DOI: 10.1180/minmag.1959.032.247.03
© 1959, The Mineralogical Society
Mineralogical Society (www.minersoc.org)