Surinamite
A valid IMA mineral species
This page is currently not sponsored. Click here to sponsor this page.
About Surinamite
Formula:
(Mg,Fe)3Al4BeSi3O16
Colour:
Blue-green, dark blue
Lustre:
Vitreous
Specific Gravity:
3.3
Crystal System:
Monoclinic
Member of:
Name:
Named after Surinam where the mineral was discovered in the Bakhuis Mountains.
Type Locality:
An unassigned member of the Sapphirine Supergroup (Grew et al. 2008, Mills et al. 2009).
Only the 1M-polytype is known in nature. A Be-free analogue is known as 'UM1988-26-SiO:AlMg'.
Only the 1M-polytype is known in nature. A Be-free analogue is known as 'UM1988-26-SiO:AlMg'.
Unique Identifiers
Mindat ID:
3830
Long-form identifier:
mindat:1:1:3830:6
IMA Classification of Surinamite
Approved
IMA Formula:
Mg3Al3O[Si3BeAlO15]
Approval year:
1974
First published:
1976
Classification of Surinamite
9.DH.55
9 : SILICATES (Germanates)
D : Inosilicates
H : Inosilicates with 4-periodic single chains, Si4O12
9 : SILICATES (Germanates)
D : Inosilicates
H : Inosilicates with 4-periodic single chains, Si4O12
69.2.1b.2
69 : INOSILICATES Chains with Side Branches or Loops
2 : Chains with Side Branches or Loops with P>2
69 : INOSILICATES Chains with Side Branches or Loops
2 : Chains with Side Branches or Loops with P>2
16.6.7
16 : Silicates Containing Aluminum and other Metals
6 : Aluminosilicates of Be
16 : Silicates Containing Aluminum and other Metals
6 : Aluminosilicates of Be
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Sum | 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 Surinamite
Vitreous
Transparency:
Transparent
Colour:
Blue-green, dark blue
Cleavage:
Distinct/Good
One well-developed perpendicular to {010}.
One well-developed perpendicular to {010}.
Density:
3.3 g/cm3 (Measured) 3.58 g/cm3 (Calculated)
Optical Data of Surinamite
Type:
Biaxial (-)
RI values:
nα = 1.738 nβ = 1.743 nγ = 1.746
2V:
Measured: 67° to 68°, Calculated: 74°
Max. Birefringence:
δ = 0.008
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:
Very High (positive)
Relative to Canada balsam mounting medium (n ≈ 1.537).
Relative to Canada balsam mounting medium (n ≈ 1.537).
This shows the grain boundary and Becke line effect under plane-polarised
light, based on the contrast between this mineral's average refractive
index and the mounting medium. It does not take into account mineral
colouration.
In focus
Interference Figure:
This shows the idealized biaxial acute bisectrix (Bxa) interference figure
- the conoscopic view for a grain cut perpendicular to the acute bisectrix, using
this mineral's 2V. The two small white dots mark the melatopes - the points
where the two optic axes emerge - and are shown only when they fall within the
field of view. The coloured bands are isochromatics, and the dark bands are
isogyres.
Rotate the stage: at 0°/90° the isogyres form a cross through the melatopes; at 45° they pull apart into curved hyperbolas. That splitting on rotation - absent in a uniaxial figure - is the standard diagnostic test for telling biaxial minerals from uniaxial ones. If 2V is large, the melatopes may fall outside the field of view, as they often do at the microscope too.
Rotate the stage: at 0°/90° the isogyres form a cross through the melatopes; at 45° they pull apart into curved hyperbolas. That splitting on rotation - absent in a uniaxial figure - is the standard diagnostic test for telling biaxial minerals from uniaxial ones. If 2V is large, the melatopes may fall outside the field of view, as they often do at the microscope too.
Dispersion:
r > v moderate
Pleochroism:
Visible
Comments:
: Y = violet; parallel to cleavage = bright blue-green; perpendicular to cleavage = very light greenish brown to colorless.
Chemistry of Surinamite
Mindat Formula:
(Mg,Fe)3Al4BeSi3O16
Element Weights:
Common Impurities:
Ti,Mn,Zn,Ca,F
Crystallography of Surinamite
Polytype:
Formula:
Crystal System:
Class (H-M)
Space Group:
Space Group Setting:
Cell Parameters:
Ratio:
Unit Cell Volume (calc):
Z:
Comment:
| Surinamite-1M |
|---|
| (Mg,Fe)3Al4BeSi3O16 |
Crystal Structure
Load
Unit Cell | Unit Cell Packed
2x2x2 | 3x3x3 | 4x4x4
Unit Cell | Unit Cell Packed
2x2x2 | 3x3x3 | 4x4x4
Show
Big Balls | Small Balls | Just Balls | Spacefill
Polyhedra Off | Si Polyhedra | All Polyhedra
Remove metal-metal sticks
Big Balls | Small Balls | Just Balls | Spacefill
Polyhedra Off | Si Polyhedra | All Polyhedra
Remove metal-metal sticks
Display Options
Black Background | White Background
Perspective On | Perspective Off
2D | Stereo | Red-Blue | Red-Cyan
Black Background | White Background
Perspective On | Perspective Off
2D | Stereo | Red-Blue | Red-Cyan
View
CIF File Best | x | y | z | a | b | c
CIF File Best | x | y | z | a | b | c
Rotation
Stop | Start
Stop | Start
Labels
Console Off | On | Grey | Yellow
Console Off | On | Grey | Yellow
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) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0002765 | Surinamite | Barbier J, Grew E S, Halenius E, Halenius U, Yates M G (2002) The role of iron and cation order in the crystal chemistry of surinamite, (Mg,Fe)3(Al,Fe)3O[AlBeSi3O15]: A crystal structure, Mossbauer spectroscopic, and optical spectroscopic study American Mineralogist 87 501-513 | ![]() | 2002 | 0 | 293 | |
| 0006762 | Surinamite | Barbier J (1998) Crystal structures of sapphirine and surinamite analogues in the MgO-Ga2O3-GeO2 system European Journal of Mineralogy 10 1283-1293 | 1998 | 0 | 293 | ||
| 0000907 | Surinamite | Moore P B, Araki T (1983) Surinamite, ca. Mg3Al4Si3BeO16: its crystal structure and relation to sapphirine, ca. Mg2.8Al7.2Si1.2O16 American Mineralogist 68 804-810 | ![]() | 1983 | 0 | 293 |
CIF Raw Data - click here to close
Geological Environment
Paragenetic Mode(s):
| Paragenetic Mode | Earliest Age (Ga) |
|---|---|
| Near-surface Processes | |
| 23 : Subaerial aqueous alteration by non-redox-sensitive fluids (see also #47) | |
| High-? alteration and/or metamorphism | |
| 31 : Thermally altered carbonate, phosphate, and iron formations | |
| Stage 4b: Highly evolved igneous rocks | >3.0 |
| 35 : Ultra-alkali and agpaitic igneous rocks | |
| Stage 5: Initiation of plate tectonics | <3.5-2.5 |
| 40 : Regional metamorphism (greenschist, amphibolite, granulite facies) |
Type Occurrence of Surinamite
General Appearance of Type Material:
platy crystals to 0.2mm
Place of Conservation of Type Material:
Geological and Mining Service, Paramaribo, Surinam, EW1115.
Geological Setting of Type Material:
mylonitic mesoperthite gneiss
Associated Minerals at Type Locality:
Synonyms of Surinamite
Other Language Names for Surinamite
Relationship of Surinamite to other Species
Member of:
Other Members of Sapphirine Supergroup:
| Aenigmatite Group | A subgroup of the Sapphirine Supergroup. | |
| Beckettite | Ca2V6Al6O20 | Tric. 1 : P1 |
| Devilliersite | Ca4Ca2Fe3+10O4[(Fe3+10Si2)O36] | Tric. 1 : P1 |
| Khesinite | Ca4(Mg3Fe3+9)O4(Fe3+9Si3)O36 | Tric. 1 : P1 |
| Rhönite Group | Subgroup of the Sapphirine Supergroup. | |
| Sapphirine Group | Subgroup of the Sapphirine Supergroup. | |
| 'UM1988-26-SiO:AlMg' | Mg4Al2O[Si3Al2O15] |
Common Associates
Associations Based on Photo Data:
| 3 photos of Surinamite associated with Khmaralite | (Mg,Al,Fe)16[(Al,Si,Be)12O36]O4 |
| 2 photos of Surinamite associated with Quartz | SiO2 |
| 1 photo of Surinamite associated with Kyanite | Al2(SiO4)O |
| 1 photo of Surinamite associated with Sillimanite | Al2(SiO4)O |
Related Minerals - Strunz-mindat Grouping
| 9.DH. | Devilliersite | Ca4Ca2Fe3+10O4[(Fe3+10Si2)O36] |
| 9.DH. | 'Gageite-2M' | (Mn,Mg,Zn)42Si16O54(OH)40 |
| 9.DH. | Bavsiite | Ba2V2O2[Si4O12] |
| 9.DH. | Yuzuxiangite | Sr3Fe3+(Si2O6)2(OH) · 3H2O |
| 9.DH. | Louisfuchsite | Ca2(Mg4Ti2)(Al4Si2)O20 |
| 9.DH.05 | Leucophanite | NaCaBeSi2O6F |
| 9.DH.10 | Ohmilite | Sr3(Ti,Fe3+)(Si4O12)(O,OH) · 2-3H2O |
| 9.DH.15 | Haradaite | SrVSi2O7 |
| 9.DH.15 | Suzukiite | BaVSi2O7 |
| 9.DH.20 | Shcherbakovite | (K,Ba)KNa(Ti,Nb)2(Si4O12)O2 |
| 9.DH.20 | Batisite | BaNaNaTi2(Si4O12)O2 |
| 9.DH.20 | Noonkanbahite | BaKNaTi2(Si4O12)O2 |
| 9.DH.25 | Taikanite | Sr3BaMn2+2(Si4O12)O2 |
| 9.DH.30 | Krauskopfite | BaSi2O5 · 3H2O |
| 9.DH.35 | Gageite | Mn21(Si4O12)2O3(OH)20 |
| 9.DH.35 | Balangeroite | (Mg,Fe2+,Fe3+,Mn2+)42Si16O54(OH)40 |
| 9.DH.40 | Kuratite | Ca2(Fe2+5Ti)O2[Si4Al2O18] |
| 9.DH.40 | Aenigmatite | Na4[Fe2+10Ti2]O4[Si12O36] |
| 9.DH.40 | Dorrite | Ca4(Mg3Fe3+9)O4(Si3Al8Fe3+O36) |
| 9.DH.40 | Serendibite | Ca4[Mg6Al6]O4[Si6B3Al3O36] |
| 9.DH.40 | Rhönite | Ca4[Mg8Fe3+2Ti2]O4[Si6Al6O36] |
| 9.DH.40 | Khesinite | Ca4(Mg3Fe3+9)O4(Fe3+9Si3)O36 |
| 9.DH.40 | 'UM1991-29-SiO:FeMgNa' | Na4(Mg5Fe3+7)O4[Si9Fe3+3O36] |
| 9.DH.40 | Høgtuvaite | Ca4[Fe2+6Fe3+6]O4[Si8Be2Al2O36] |
| 9.DH.40 | 'Leucorhönite' | Ca2(Mg,Fe3+,Al)6(Si,Al)6O20 |
| 9.DH.40 | Welshite | Ca4Mg9Sb3O4[Si6Be3AlFe2O36] |
| 9.DH.40 | Wilkinsonite | Na2Fe2+4Fe3+2(Si6O18)O2 |
| 9.DH.40 | Krinovite | Na2Mg4Cr3+2(Si6O18)O2 |
| 9.DH.40 | Makarochkinite | (Ca,Na)4[Fe2+8Fe3+2Ti2]O4[Si8Be2Al2O36] |
| 9.DH.45 | Sapphirine | Mg4(Mg3Al9)O4[Si3Al9O36] |
| 9.DH.50 | Khmaralite | (Mg,Al,Fe)16[(Al,Si,Be)12O36]O4 |
| 9.DH.55 | 'UM1988-26-SiO:AlMg' | Mg4Al2O[Si3Al2O15] |
| 9.DH.60 | Deerite | Fe2+6Fe3+3(Si6O17)O3(OH)5 |
| 9.DH.65 | Taneyamalite | (Na,Ca)Mn2+12(Si,Al)12(O,OH)44 |
| 9.DH.65 | Howieite | Na(Fe2+,Fe3+,Al,Mg)12(Si6O17)2(O,OH)10 |
| 9.DH.70 | Johninnesite | Na2Mn2+9Mg7(OH)8[AsO4]2[Si6O17]2 |
| 9.DH.75 | Agrellite | NaCa2Si4O10F |
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 Surinamite
mindat.org URL:
https://www.mindat.org/min-3830.html
Please feel free to link to this page.
Please feel free to link to this page.
Search Engines:
External Links:
Mineral Dealers:
References for Surinamite
Reference List:
De Roever, Emond, W. F., Kieft, C., Murray, Ed, Klein, Eildert, Drucker, Willem H. (1976) Surinamite, a new Mg-Al silicate from the Bakhuis Mountains, western Surinam - I. Description, occurrence, and conditions of formation. American Mineralogist, 61 (3-4). 193-196
de Roever, E. M. F., Lattard, D., Schreyer, W. (1981) Surinamite: A beryllium-bearing mineral. Contributions to Mineralogy and Petrology, 76 (4) 472-473 doi:10.1007/bf00371489
More, Paul B., Araki, Takaharu (1983) Surinamite, ca. Mg3Al4Si3BeO16: its crystal structure and relation to sapphirine, ca. Mg2.8Al7.2Si1.2O16. American Mineralogist, 68 (7-8) 804-810
Jensen, B. B. (1996) Solid solution among members of the aenigmatite group. Mineralogical Magazine, 60 (403) 982-986 doi:10.1180/minmag.1996.060.403.14
Kunzmann, Thomas (1999) The aenigmatite-rhönite mineral group. European Journal of Mineralogy, 11 (4) 743-756 doi:10.1127/ejm/11/4/0743
Baba, Sotaro, Grew, Edward S., Shearer, Charles K., Sheraton, John W. (2000) Surinamite: A high-temperature metamorphic beryllosilicate from Lewisian sapphirine-bearing kyanite-orthopyroxene-quartz-potassium feldspar gneiss at South Harris, N.W. Scotland. American Mineralogist, 85 (10) 1474-1484 doi:10.2138/am-2000-1017
Barbier, Jacques, Grew, Edward S., Hålenius, Elke, Hålenius, Ulf, Yates, Martin G. (2002) The role of Fe and cation order in the crystal chemistry of surinamite, (Mg,Fe2+)3(Al,Fe3+)3O[AlBeSi3O15]: A crystal structure, Mössbauer spectroscopic, and optical spectroscopic study. American Mineralogist, 87 (4) 501-513 doi:10.2138/am-2002-0413
Localities for Surinamite
Showing 16 localities.
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.
Antarctica | |
| gsa.confex.com (n.d.) |
| Grew (1981) +1 other reference | |
| Grew (1981) +1 other reference |
| Grew (1981) +2 other references | |
| Baba et al. (2000) +1 other reference |
Australia | |
| - (1976) |
India | |
| Kumar et al. (1995) +1 other reference |
| Kumar et al. (1995) +1 other reference |
| Kumar et al. (1995) +1 other reference | |
| Kumar et al. (1995) +1 other reference | |
| Kumar et al. (1995) +1 other reference | |
| Kumar et al. (1995) +1 other reference | |
| Kumar et al. (1995) +1 other reference | |
Suriname (TL) | |
| De Roever et al. (1976) |
UK | |
| Baba et al. (2000) |
Zambia | |
| de Roever et al. (1985) |
Quick NavTopAbout SurinamiteUnique IdentifiersIMA Classification Classification Mineral SymbolsPhysical Properties Optical Data Chemistry Crystallography Crystal StructureGeological EnvironmentType Occurrence SynonymsOther LanguagesRelationshipsCommon AssociatesStrunz-MindatOther InformationInternet Links References Localities Locality List





symbol to view information about a locality.
The
"Christmas Point" pegmatite, Khmara Bay, Casey Bay, Napier Complex, Enderby Land, East Antarctica, Antarctica