Itoigawaite, a New Mineral, the Sr Analogue of Lawsonite, in Jadeitite from the Itoigawa-Ohmi District, Central Japan

H. Miyajima1, S. Matsubara2, R. Miyawaki2 and K. Ito3
1 Fossa Magna Museum, Itoigawa, Niigata 941-0056, Japan
2 Department of Geology, National Science Museum, Tokyo 169-0073, Japan
3 Membership of Fossa Magna Museum, Itoigawa, Niigata 941-0056, Japan

Abstract: Itoigawaite, SrAl2Si2O7(OH)2·H2O, is a new member of the lawsonite group found in the Itoigawa-Ohmi district, central Japan. It is orthorhombic, Cmcm, a = 6.031(2), b = 8.945(2), c = 13.219(4) Å, Z = 4. The strongest lines in the X-ray powder diffraction pattern are 4.68 (s) (111), 4.26 (vs) (021), 3.31 (vs) (113), 2.75 (vs) (114, 202), 2.68 (vvs) (130), 2.63 (s) (131), 2.50 (s) (220, 203, 132), 2.45 (s) (221). Electron microprobe analysis gave SiO2 32.98, TiO2 0.87, Al2O3 27.67, Fe2O3 0.39, MgO 0.27, CaO 0.45, SrO 27.71, H2O (diff.) 9.66, total 100.00 wt.%, corresponding to (Sr0.97Ca0.03Mg0.02)Σ1.02 (Al1.97Ti0.04Fe0.02)Σ2.03Si1.99H3.89O10 on the basis of O = 10. It is transparent, blue in colour with vitreous lustre. The streak is white and the cleavage good in one direction. The hardness is 5–5.5. The calculated density is 3.3 g cm−3. It is colourless in thin section and optically biaxial positive with α = 1.664 (2), β = 1.674 (2), γ = 1.688 (2) and 2V(calc.) = 81°. It occurs in a thin veinlet cutting a lavender-coloured Ti-bearing jadeitite. The veinlet includes irregularly-shaped aggregates composed of minute tabular crystals of itoigawaite up to 50 µm across and minute jadeite crystals with interstitial natrolite aggregates. Itoigawaite is considered to be crystallized from fluid during later stage activity of high-P/T metamorphism. The name is for the locality.

Keywords: itoigawaite • new mineral • strontium • jadeite • jadeitite • lawsonite • Renge metamorphic belt • Itoigawa-Ohmi district • Japan

Mineralogical Magazine; December 1999 v. 63; no. 6; p. 909-916; DOI: 10.1180/002646199548899
© 1999, The Mineralogical Society
Mineralogical Society (www.minersoc.org)