New Mineral with Modular Structure Derived from Hatrurite from the Pyrometamorphic Rocks of the Hatrurim Complex: Ariegilatite, BaCa12(SiO4)4(PO4)2F2O, from Negev Desert, Israel

Researchers have discovered ariegilatite, a new mineral with a modular intercalated antiperovskite structure derived from hatrurite, within the pyrometamorphic rocks of the Hatrurim Complex in the Negev Desert. This mineral, characterized by its flat disc-shaped crystals and colorless transparency, is associated with other minerals like spurrite, calcite, and stracherite, indicating its formation under high-temperature conditions influenced by pyrometamorphism. The study employed detailed crystallographic analysis to determine ariegilatite's structure, revealing a stacking of two modules along the (001) plane. This discovery sheds light on the complex mineralogical processes occurring in this unique geological setting, contributing to our understanding of high-temperature alterations in desert environments.

Galuskin, E., Krüger, B., Galuskina, I., Krüger, H., Vapnik, Y., Wojdyla, J., & Murashko, M. (2018). New Mineral with Modular Structure Derived from Hatrurite from the Pyrometamorphic Rocks of the Hatrurim Complex: Ariegilatite, BaCa12(SiO4)4(PO4)2F2O, from Negev Desert, Israel. Minerals, 8(3), 109. https://doi.org/10.3390/min8030109