Bennesherite
A valid IMA mineral species
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Formula:
Ba2Fe2+[Si2O7]
Colour:
Light yellow to lemon-colored
Lustre:
Vitreous
Hardness:
5
Specific Gravity:
4.39 (Calculated)
Crystal System:
Tetragonal
Member of:
Name:
Named for the Ben Nesher Mount, Israel. It was discovered nearby.
Chemically especially related to andrémeyerite and also to gillespite. The first group member with dominant Ba and Fe2+. A parabasalt mineral.
Crystal structure details:
* layers comprising disilicate (Si2O7)6- groups and (Fe2+O4)6- tetrahedra
* the above are connected by large Ba atoms with coordination number 8
* as for the group, it shows the lowest misfit degree between the tetrahedral (T1 and T2) and polyhedral (X) sites
Crystal structure details:
* layers comprising disilicate (Si2O7)6- groups and (Fe2+O4)6- tetrahedra
* the above are connected by large Ba atoms with coordination number 8
* as for the group, it shows the lowest misfit degree between the tetrahedral (T1 and T2) and polyhedral (X) sites
Unique Identifiers
Mindat ID:
54030
Long-form identifier:
mindat:1:1:54030:0
GUID
(UUID V4):
(UUID V4):
891422fe-2637-4f82-9972-15a937b6537b
IMA Classification of Bennesherite
Approved
IMA Formula:
Ba2Fe2+Si2O7
First published:
2022
Classification of Bennesherite
9.BB.20
9 : SILICATES (Germanates)
B : Sorosilicates
B : Si2O7 groups, without non-tetrahedral anions; cations in tetrahedral [4] and greater coordination
9 : SILICATES (Germanates)
B : Sorosilicates
B : Si2O7 groups, without non-tetrahedral anions; cations in tetrahedral [4] and greater coordination
Mineral Symbols
As of 2021 there are now IMA–CNMNC approved mineral symbols (abbreviations) for each mineral species, useful for tables and diagrams.
| Symbol | Source | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Bnh | IMA–CNMNC | Warr, L.N. (2021). IMA–CNMNC approved mineral symbols. Mineralogical Magazine, 85(3), 291-320. doi:10.1180/mgm.2021.43 |
Physical Properties of Bennesherite
Vitreous
Transparency:
Transparent
Colour:
Light yellow to lemon-colored
Streak:
White
Hardness:
5 on Mohs scale
Hardness:
VHN25=540 kg/mm2 - Vickers
Tenacity:
Brittle
Cleavage:
Distinct/Good
Good cleavage on (001)
Good cleavage on (001)
Parting:
None
Fracture:
Conchoidal
Density:
4.39 g/cm3 (Calculated)
Optical Data of Bennesherite
Type:
Uniaxial (-)
RI values:
nω = 1.711(2) nε = 1.708(2)
Max Birefringence:
δ = 0.003
Image shows birefringence interference colour range (at 30µm thickness)
and does not take into account mineral colouration.
and does not take into account mineral colouration.
Surface Relief:
High
Chemistry of Bennesherite
Mindat Formula:
Ba2Fe2+[Si2O7]
Elements listed:
Crystallography of Bennesherite
Crystal System:
Tetragonal
Class (H-M):
4 2m - Scalenohedral
Space Group:
P4 21m
Cell Parameters:
a = 8.233(1) Å, c = 5.2854(8) Å
Ratio:
a:c = 1 : 0.642
Unit Cell V:
358.26 ų (Calculated from Unit Cell)
Z:
2
Comment:
The space group is reported as "P421m" (the "-" index is likely lacking; "P42 1 m" is impossible)
X-Ray Powder Diffraction
Powder Diffraction Data:
| d-spacing | Intensity |
|---|---|
| 3.913 Å | (15) |
| 3.682 Å | (13) |
| 3.248 Å | (39) |
| 3.021 Å | (100) |
| 2.604 Å | (21) |
| 2.147 Å | (22) |
| 1.868 Å | (15) |
| 1.855 Å | (18) |
Geological Environment
Paragenetic Mode(s):
| Paragenetic Mode | Earliest Age (Ga) |
|---|---|
| Stage 10a: Neoproterozoic oxygenation/terrestrial biosphere | <0.6 |
| 51 : Pyrometamorphic minerals (see also #54 and #56) | <0.36 |
Type Occurrence of Bennesherite
General Appearance of Type Material:
Fills interstities between larger crystals.
Place of Conservation of Type Material:
Collections of the Fersman Mineralogical Museum, Russian Academy of Sciences, Leninskiy Prospekt 18-2, Moscow 119071, Russia, registration number 5396/1.
Geological Setting of Type Material:
Veins of rankinite paralava within pyrometamorphic gehlenite hornfels.
Associated Minerals at Type Locality:
Reference:
Krzątała, A., Krüger, B., Galuskina, I., Vapnik, Y., Galuskin, E. (2022): Bennesherite, Ba2Fe2+Si2O7 – a new melilite group mineral from the Hatrurim Basin, Negev Desert, Israel. American Mineralogist: 107(1): 138-146.
Relationship of Bennesherite to other Species
Member of:
Other Members of this group:
| Åkermanite | Ca2Mg[Si2O7] | Tet. 4 2m : P4 21m |
| Alumoåkermanite | (CaNa)Al[Si2O7] | Tet. 4 2m : P4 21m |
| Ferri-gehlenite | Ca2Fe3+[AlSiO7] | |
| Gehlenite | Ca2Al[AlSiO7] | Tet. 4 2m : P4 21m |
| Gugiaite | Ca2Be[Si2O7] | Tet. 4 2m : P4 2m |
| Hardystonite | Ca2Zn[Si2O7] | Tet. 4 2m : P4 21m |
| Hydroxylgugiaite | (Ca,◻)2(Si,Be)[(Be,Si)2O5.5(OH)1.5] | Tet. 4 2m : P4 21m |
| Okayamalite | Ca2B[BSiO7] | Tet. 4 2m : P4 21m |
Related Minerals - Strunz-mindat Grouping
| 9.BB.10 | Åkermanite | Ca2Mg[Si2O7] |
| 9.BB.10 | Cebollite | Ca5Al2(SiO4)3(OH)4 |
| 9.BB.10 | Gehlenite | Ca2Al[AlSiO7] |
| 9.BB.10 | Gugiaite | Ca2Be[Si2O7] |
| 9.BB.10 | Hardystonite | Ca2Zn[Si2O7] |
| 9.BB.10 | Jeffreyite | (Ca,Na)2(Be,Al)(Si2O7,HSi2O7) |
| 9.BB.10 | Okayamalite | Ca2B[BSiO7] |
| 9.BB.10 | Ferri-gehlenite | Ca2Fe3+[AlSiO7] |
| 9.BB.10 | Alumoåkermanite | (CaNa)Al[Si2O7] |
| 9.BB.10 | Hydroxylgugiaite | (Ca,◻)2(Si,Be)[(Be,Si)2O5.5(OH)1.5] |
| 9.BB.15 | Barylite | Be2Ba(Si2O7) |
| 9.BB.15 | Barylite-1O | Be2Ba(Si2O7) |
| 9.BB.20 | Andrémeyerite | BaFe2+2(Si2O7) |
Other Information
Health Risks:
No information on health risks for this material has been entered into the database. You should always treat mineral specimens with care.
Internet Links for Bennesherite
mindat.org URL:
https://www.mindat.org/min-54030.html
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References for Bennesherite
Reference List:
Miyawaki, Ritsuro, Hatert, Frédéric, Pasero, Marco, Mills, Stuart J. (2020) IMA Commission on New Minerals, Nomenclature and Classification (CNMNC) - Newsletter 52. European Journal of Mineralogy, 32 (1) 1-11 doi:10.5194/ejm-32-1-2020
Krzątała, Arkadiusz, Krüger, Biljana, Galuskina, Irina, Vapnik, Yevgeny, Galuskin, Evgeny (2022) Bennesherite, Ba2Fe2+Si2O7: A new melilite group mineral from the Hatrurim Basin, Negev Desert, Israel. American Mineralogist, 107 (1) 138-146 doi:10.2138/am-2021-7747
Localities for Bennesherite
symbol to view information about a locality.
The Locality List
- This locality has map coordinates listed.
- This locality has estimated coordinates.
ⓘ - Click for references and further information on this occurrence.
? - Indicates mineral may be doubtful at this locality.
- Good crystals or important locality for species.
- World class for species or very significant.
(TL) - Type Locality for a valid mineral species.
(FRL) - First Recorded Locality for everything else (eg varieties).
All localities listed without proper references should be considered as questionable.
Germany | |
| Skrzyńska et al. (2023) |
| Juroszek et al. (2022) +1 other reference |
Israel (TL) | |
| Mineralogical Magazine +2 other references |
| Krzątała et al. (2023) |
