Nyerereite
A valid IMA mineral species
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About Nyerereite
Julius K. Nyerere
Formula:
Na2Ca(CO3)2
Colour:
Colourless
Specific Gravity:
2.41
Crystal System:
Orthorhombic
Name:
Named by C. Milton in 1968 in honour of Julius Kambarage Nyerere (13 April 1922, Butiama, Tanganyika – 14 October 1999, London, United Kingdom), president of Tanganyika and then Tanzania 1964-1985. The original description contained only a name and composition. A later proposed name of natrofairchildite (in another paper that included data) was denied and nyerereite was given priority.
Dimorph of:
May be "a possible messenger from the deep Earth" (Zucchini et al., 2022).
May occur as fluid inclusions in chromite (Potapov et al., 2022).
May occur as fluid inclusions in chromite (Potapov et al., 2022).
Unique Identifiers
Mindat ID:
2945
Long-form identifier:
mindat:1:1:2945:8
IMA Classification of Nyerereite
Classification of Nyerereite
5.AC.10
5 : CARBONATES (NITRATES)
A : Carbonates without additional anions, without H2O
C : Alkali and alkali-earth carbonates
5 : CARBONATES (NITRATES)
A : Carbonates without additional anions, without H2O
C : Alkali and alkali-earth carbonates
14.3.4.1
14 : ANHYDROUS NORMAL CARBONATES
3 : A2B(XO3)2
14 : ANHYDROUS NORMAL CARBONATES
3 : A2B(XO3)2
11.1.10
11 : Carbonates
1 : Carbonates of the alkali metals and ammonium
11 : Carbonates
1 : Carbonates of the alkali metals and ammonium
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 for Standard |
|---|---|---|
| Nye | 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 Nyerereite
Transparency:
Transparent
Colour:
Colourless
Streak:
White
Density:
2.41 g/cm3 (Measured) 2.42 g/cm3 (Calculated)
Optical Data of Nyerereite
Type:
Biaxial (-)
RI values:
nα = 1.5112 nβ = 1.533 nγ = 1.5345
2V:
Measured: 29° , Calculated: 28°
Max. Birefringence:
δ = 0.023
Based on recorded range of RI values above.
Based on recorded range of RI values above.
Interference Colours:
The colours simulate birefringence patterns seen in thin section under crossed polars. They do not take into account mineral colouration or opacity.
Michel-Levy Bar The default colours simulate the birefringence range for a 30 µm thin-section thickness. Adjust the slider to simulate a different thickness.
Grain Simulation You can rotate the grain simulation to show how this range might look as you rotated a sample under crossed polars. Each grain retains its interference colour (retardation) while its brightness falls to black at extinction and reaches a maximum between extinction positions.
The colours simulate birefringence patterns seen in thin section under crossed polars. They do not take into account mineral colouration or opacity.
Michel-Levy Bar The default colours simulate the birefringence range for a 30 µm thin-section thickness. Adjust the slider to simulate a different thickness.
Grain Simulation You can rotate the grain simulation to show how this range might look as you rotated a sample under crossed polars. Each grain retains its interference colour (retardation) while its brightness falls to black at extinction and reaches a maximum between extinction positions.
Surface Relief:
Moderate
Dispersion:
strong
Optical Extinction:
X = c; Y = a; Z = b.
Chemistry of Nyerereite
Mindat Formula:
Na2Ca(CO3)2
Element Weights:
Elements listed:
Crystallography of Nyerereite
Crystal System:
Orthorhombic
Class (H-M):
mmm(2/m2/m2/m) - Dipyramidal
Space Group:
Pbca
Setting:
Pbca
Cell Parameters:
a = 5.062(1) Å, b = 8.790(1) Å, c = 12.744(1) Å
Ratio:
a:b:c = 0.576 : 1 : 1.45
Unit Cell V:
567.04 ų (Calculated from Unit Cell)
Z:
4
Morphology:
Platy crystals to 0.5 mm. Flat tabular with {001} faces well developed and no proper faces in the [001] zone. Sometimes displaying “swallow-tail” terminations.
Twinning:
Always twinned.
Comment:
Incommensurately modulated twin structure (Bolotina et al., 2017): Cmcm(α00)00s with modulation vector q = 0.383a*, with above unit-cell parameters. Originally assumed to have Cmc21. The structure of nyerereite was refined as a three-component twinned structure in the centrosymmetric Pbca space group with ratios of the three twinning components 0.221(3):0.287(3):0.492(3)
Crystal Structure
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Data courtesy of the American Mineralogist Crystal Structure Database. Click on an AMCSD ID to view structure
| ID | Species | Reference | Link | Year | Locality | Pressure (GPa) | Temp (K) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0010791 | Nyerereite | McKie D, Frankis E J (1977) Nyerereite: A new volcanic carbonate mineral from Oldoinyo Lengai, Tanzania Zeitschrift fur Kristallographie 145 73-95 |  | 1977 | Oldoinyo Lengai, Tanzania | 0 | 293 |
| 0010790 | Nyerereite | McKie D, Frankis E J (1977) Nyerereite: A new volcanic carbonate mineral from Oldoinyo Lengai, Tanzania Zeitschrift fur Kristallographie 145 73-95 | | 1977 | Oldoinyo Lengai, Tanzania | 0 | 293 |
CIF Raw Data - click here to close
X-Ray Powder Diffraction
Powder Diffraction Data:
| d-spacing | Intensity |
|---|---|
| 3.046 Å | (very very strong) |
| 6.377 Å | (very strong) |
| 4.385 Å | (very strong) |
| 2.536 Å | (very strong) |
| 2.071 Å | (very strong) |
| 3.181 Å | (medium strong) |
| 2.161 Å | (medium strong) |
Geological Environment
Paragenetic Mode(s):
| Paragenetic Mode | Earliest Age (Ga) |
|---|---|
| Stage 3a: Earth’s earliest Hadean crust | >4.50 |
| 9 : Lava/xenolith minerals (hornfels, sanidinite facies) | |
| Stage 4b: Highly evolved igneous rocks | >3.0 |
| 36 : Carbonatites, kimberlites, and related igneous rocks |
Type Occurrence of Nyerereite
General Appearance of Type Material:
Invariably twinned crystals, embedded in rock.
Place of Conservation of Type Material:
National Museum of Natural History, Washington, D.C., USA, 113544, 162608.
Geological Setting of Type Material:
Carbonatite volcano.
Synonyms of Nyerereite
Other Language Names for Nyerereite
Common Associates
Associations Based on Photo Data:
| 5 photos of Nyerereite associated with Gregoryite | (Na2,K2,Ca)CO3 |
| 2 photos of Nyerereite associated with Anhydrite | CaSO4 |
Related Minerals - Strunz-mindat Grouping
| 5.AC.05 | Eitelite | Na2Mg(CO3)2 |
| 5.AC.10 | Zemkorite | Na2Ca(CO3)2 |
| 5.AC.15 | Bütschliite | K2Ca(CO3)2 |
| 5.AC.20 | Fairchildite | K2Ca(CO3)2 |
| 5.AC.25 | Shortite | Na2Ca2(CO3)3 |
| 5.AC.30 | Burbankite | (Na,Ca)3(Sr,Ba,Ce)3(CO3)5 |
| 5.AC.30 | Calcioburbankite | Na3(Ca,REE,Sr)3(CO3)5 |
| 5.AC.30 | Sanrománite | Na2CaPb3[CO3]5 |
| 5.AC.30 | Khanneshite | (Na,Ca)3(Ba,Sr,Ce,Ca)3(CO3)5 |
| 5.AC.30 | Lishiite | (Ca2◻)Sr3(CO3)5 |
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.
Nyerereite in petrology
An essential component of rock names highlighted in red, an accessory component in rock names highlighted in green.
Internet Links for Nyerereite
mindat.org URL:
https://www.mindat.org/min-2945.html
Please feel free to link to this page.
Please feel free to link to this page.
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References for Nyerereite
Reference List:
Dawson, J. B. (1962) Sodium Carbonate Lavas from Oldoinyo Lengai, Tanganyika. Nature, 195 (4846). 1075-1076 doi:10.1038/1951075a0
Frankis, e. J.; Mckie, D. (1973) Subsolidus Relations in the System Na2CO3-CaCO3-H2O. Nature Physical Science, 246. 124-126 doi:10.1038/physci246124a0
Cooper, A. F.; Gittins, J.; Tuttle, O. F. (1975) The system Na2CO3-K2CO3-CaCO3 at 1 kilobar and its significance in carbonatite petrogenesis. American Journal of Science, 275 (5). 534-560 doi:10.2475/ajs.275.5.534
Fleischer, Michael; Chao, G. Y.; Kato, Ikiro (1975) New Mineral Names. American Mineralogist, 60 (5-6). 485-489
Mckie, Duncan; Frankis, E. J. (1977) Nyerereite: a new volcanic carbonate mineral from Oldoinyo Lengai, Tanzania. Zeitschrift für Kristallographie, 145 (1). 73-95 doi:10.1524/zkri.1977.145.1-2.73
Fleischer, Michael, Cabri, Louis J. (1978) New mineral names. American Mineralogist, 63 (5-6) 598-600
Peterson, Tony D. (1990) Petrology and genesis of natrocarbonatite. Contributions to Mineralogy and Petrology, 105 (2) 143-155 doi:10.1007/bf00678981
Zaitsev, A. N.; Keller, J.; Spratt, J.; Perova, E. N.; Kearsley, A. (2008) Nyerereite–pirssonite–calcite–shortite relationships in altered natrocarbonatites, Oldoinyo Lengai, Tanzania. The Canadian Mineralogist, 46 (4). 843-860 doi:10.3749/canmin.46.4.843
Zaitsev, A. N. (2010) Nyerereite from calcite carbonatite at the Kerimasi Volcano, Northern Tanzania. Geology of Ore Deposits, 52 (7) 630-640 doi:10.1134/s1075701510070159
Shatskiy, Anton, Gavryushkin, Pavel N., Litasov, Konstantin D., Koroleva, Olga N., Kupriyanov, Igor N., Borzdov, Yuri M., Sharygin, Igor S., Funakoshi, Kenichi, Palyanov, Yuri N., Ijiohtani, E (2015) Na-Ca carbonates synthesized under upper-mantle conditions: Raman spectroscopic and X-ray diffraction studies. European Journal of Mineralogy, 27 (2) 175-184 doi:10.1127/ejm/2015/0027-2426
Bolotina, Nadezhda B.; Gavryushkin, Pavel N.; Korsakov, Andrey V.; Rashchenko, Sergey V.; Seryotkin, Yurii V.; Golovin, Alexander V.; Moine, Bertrand N.; Zaitsev, Anatoly N.; Litasov, Konstantin D. (2017) Incommensurately modulated twin structure of nyerereite Na1.64K0.36Ca(CO3)2. Acta Crystallographica Section B Structural Science, Crystal Engineering and Materials, 73 (2). 276-284 doi:10.1107/s2052520616020680
Zucchini, Azzurra, Gavryushkin, Pavel N., Golovin, Alexander V., Bolotina, Nadezhda B., Stabile, Paola, Carroll, Michael R., Comodi, Paola, Frondini, Francesco, Morgavi, Daniele, Perugini, Diego, Arzilli, Fabio, Cherin, Marco, Kazimoto, Emmanuel, Kokh, Konstantin, Kuznetsov, Artem, Medrish, Inna V. (2022) Crystal structure of nyerereite: A possible messenger from the deep Earth. American Mineralogist, 107 (11) 2054-2064 doi:10.2138/am-2022-8106
Localities for Nyerereite
Showing 34 localities.
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.
Angola | |
| Castellano Calvo A et al. (2014) |
| Castellano Calvo A et al. (2014) |
| Amores-Casals et al. (2019) |
Antarctica | |
| Wlotzka et al. (1989) |
Brazil | |
| Guarino (2010) |
| Kaminsky et al. (2015) |
Canada | |
| Kamenetsky et al. (2013) |
| Chen et al. (2013) |
| Chen et al. (2013) | |
Czech Republic | |
| Luetcke (n.d.) |
Germany | |
| 58 (in German) +1 other reference |
| Schnorrer-Köhler et al. (1991) | |
Italy | |
| Stoppa et al. (2009) |
| Stoppa et al. (2009) |
Kenya | |
| Deines et al. (1973) +4 other references |
| A. N. Zaitsev et al. (2013) |
Russia | |
| Golovin et al. (2023) |
| Andreeva et al. (2006) +1 other reference |
| Sharygin +11 other references |
| Henderson et al. (1999) +1 other reference |
| Henderson et al. (1999) | |
| Potter et al. (2017) |
| Mikhailova et al. (2015) +1 other reference |
| Mikhailova et al. (2015) | |
| Pekov (1998) |
| Sharygin et al. (2007) +2 other references |
| Sharygin et al. (2021) |
| Potapov et al. (2022) | |
| Starikova et al. (2017) | |
| Sharygin et al. (2017) |
South Africa | |
| Giuliani et al. (2012) +2 other references |
| Abersteiner et al. (2024) |
Tanzania | |
| Zaitsev A.N. et al. (2010) +1 other reference |
| Geol.Soc.Amer. (1968) +6 other references |
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Ol Doinyo Lengai, Ngorongoro District, Arusha region, Tanzania