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Ahrensite

A valid IMA mineral species
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About AhrensiteHide

Formula:
SiFe2O4
Colour:
Bluish-green
Specific Gravity:
4.135 (Calculated)
Crystal System:
Isometric
Name:
The name honors Thomas J. Ahrens (April 25, 1936 – November 24, 2010), a geophysicist at the California Institute of Technology, for his many fundamental contributions to high-pressure mineral physics research.
Polymorph of:
Isostructural with:
A silicate spinel and the Fe2+analogue of ringwoodite. There is at least a partial series with ringwoodite (Bindi et al., 2020).


Unique IdentifiersHide

Mindat ID:
43891
Long-form identifier:
mindat:1:1:43891:7

IMA Classification of AhrensiteHide

Classification of AhrensiteHide

9.AC.

9 : SILICATES (Germanates)
A : Nesosilicates
C : Nesosilicates without additional anions; cations in octahedral [6] coordination

Mineral SymbolsHide

As of 2021 there are now IMA–CNMNC approved mineral symbols (abbreviations) for each mineral species, useful for tables and diagrams.

SymbolSourceReference for Standard
AhrIMA–CNMNCWarr, L.N. (2021). IMA–CNMNC approved mineral symbols. Mineralogical Magazine, 85(3), 291-320. doi:10.1180/mgm.2021.43

Physical Properties of AhrensiteHide

Transparency:
Translucent
Colour:
Bluish-green
Density:
4.135 g/cm3 (Calculated)

Chemistry of AhrensiteHide

Mindat Formula:
SiFe2O4
Element Weights:
Element% weight
Fe54.811 %
O31.406 %
Si13.783 %

Calculated from ideal end-member formula.

Crystallography of AhrensiteHide

Crystal System:
Isometric
Class (H-M):
m3m(4/m32/m) - Hexoctahedral
Cell Parameters:
a = 8.1629(7) Å
Unit Cell V:
543.92 ų (Calculated from Unit Cell)
Z:
8
Comment:
Fd-3m

Crystal StructureHide

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IDSpeciesReferenceLinkYearLocalityPressure (GPa)Temp (K)
0007408AhrensiteYamanaka T (1986) Crystal structures of Ni2SiO4 and Fe2SiO4 as a function of temperature and heating duration Physics and Chemistry of Minerals 13 227-2321986synthetic0293
0007407AhrensiteYamanaka T (1986) Crystal structures of Ni2SiO4 and Fe2SiO4 as a function of temperature and heating duration Physics and Chemistry of Minerals 13 227-2321986synthetic0293
0007406AhrensiteYamanaka T (1986) Crystal structures of Ni2SiO4 and Fe2SiO4 as a function of temperature and heating duration Physics and Chemistry of Minerals 13 227-2321986synthetic0293
0007405AhrensiteYamanaka T (1986) Crystal structures of Ni2SiO4 and Fe2SiO4 as a function of temperature and heating duration Physics and Chemistry of Minerals 13 227-2321986synthetic0293
0007404AhrensiteYamanaka T (1986) Crystal structures of Ni2SiO4 and Fe2SiO4 as a function of temperature and heating duration Physics and Chemistry of Minerals 13 227-2321986synthetic0293
0000748AhrensiteFinger L W, Hazen R M, Yagi T (1979) Crystal structures and electron densities of nickel and iron silicate spinels at elevated temperature or pressure American Mineralogist 64 1002-10091979synthetic0293
0000404AhrensiteYagi T, Marumo F, Akimoto S I (1974) Crystal structures of spinel polymorphs of Fe2SiO4 and Ni2SiO4 American Mineralogist 59 486-4901974synthetic0293
CIF Raw Data - click here to close

X-Ray Powder DiffractionHide

Geological EnvironmentHide

Paragenetic Mode(s):
Paragenetic ModeEarliest Age (Ga)
Stage 2: Planetesimal differentiation and alteration4.566-4.550
6 : Secondary asteroid phases4.566-4.560

Type Occurrence of AhrensiteHide

General Appearance of Type Material:
5–20 μm polycrystalline aggregates consisting of submicron-sized crystals of 50–400 nm in diameter with grain size generally increasing towards the melt pocket.
Place of Conservation of Type Material:
Type material is in Tissint sections UT1 and UT2 deposited in the Meteorite Collection of the Frank H. McClung Museum at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee, USA.
Geological Setting of Type Material:
Shock melted Martian meteorite (the Tissint Martian meteorite).
Associated Minerals at Type Locality:

Synonyms of AhrensiteHide

Other Language Names for AhrensiteHide

Dutch:Ahrensiet
French:Ahrensite
German:Ahrensit
Norwegian:Ahrensitt

Relationship of Ahrensite to other SpeciesHide

Other Members of Ulvöspinel Subgroup:
BrunogeieriteGe4+Fe2+2O4Iso. m3m(4/m32/m) : Fd3m
Filipstadite(Fe3+0.5Sb5+0.5)Mn2O4Iso.
Qandilite(Mg,Fe3+)2(Ti,Fe3+,Al)O4Iso. m3m(4/m32/m) : Fd3m
Ringwoodite(Mg,Fe2+)2SiO4Iso. m3m(4/m32/m) : Fd3m
Tegengrenite(Mn3+0.5Sb5+0.5)Mg2O4Trig. 3 : R3
UlvöspinelTiFe2+2O4Iso. m3m(4/m32/m) : Fd3m

Related Minerals - Strunz-mindat GroupingHide

9.AC.PoirieriteMg2SiO4Orth. mmm(2/m2/m2/m) : Pmma
9.AC.05Laihunite(Fe3+,Fe2+,◻)2(SiO4)Mon. 2/m : P21/b
9.AC.05ForsteriteMg2(SiO4)Orth. mmm(2/m2/m2/m)
9.AC.05TephroiteMn2+2(SiO4)Orth. mmm(2/m2/m2/m) : Pnma
9.AC.05HinokageiteMnMg(SiO4)Orth. mm2
9.AC.05LiebenbergiteNi2(SiO4)Orth. mmm(2/m2/m2/m)
9.AC.05KirschsteiniteCaFe2+(SiO4)Orth. mmm(2/m2/m2/m) : Pnma
9.AC.05GlaucochroiteCaMn2+(SiO4)Orth. mmm(2/m2/m2/m)
9.AC.05FayaliteFe2+2(SiO4)Orth. mmm(2/m2/m2/m)
9.AC.10MonticelliteCaMg(SiO4)Orth. mmm(2/m2/m2/m)
9.AC.15BrunogeieriteGe4+Fe2+2O4Iso. m3m(4/m32/m) : Fd3m
9.AC.15Ringwoodite(Mg,Fe2+)2SiO4Iso. m3m(4/m32/m) : Fd3m
9.AC.20ChesnokoviteNa2[SiO2(OH)2] · 8H2OOrth. mmm(2/m2/m2/m) : Ibca

Other InformationHide

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 AhrensiteHide

References for AhrensiteHide

Reference List:

Localities for AhrensiteHide

Showing 7 localities.

This map shows a selection of localities that have latitude and longitude coordinates recorded. Click on the symbol to view information about a locality. The symbol next to localities in the list can be used to jump to that position on the map.
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Locality ListHide

- 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). Struck out - Mineral was erroneously reported from this locality. Faded * - Never found at this locality but inferred to have existed at some point in the past (e.g. from pseudomorphs).

All localities listed without proper references should be considered as questionable.
France
 
  • Centre-Val de Loire
    • Loiret
      • Montargis
Baziotis et al. (2018)
Morocco (TL)
 
  • Souss-Massa Region
    • Tata Province
      • Tata Cercle
Williams et al. (2013) +1 other reference
Nigeria
 
  • Katsina
    • Faskari
Gu et al. (2022)
Northwest Africa Meteorites
 
Gu et al. (2025)
Russia
 
  • Chukotka Autonomous Okrug
    • Anadyrsky District
      • Iomrautvaam massif
Bindi et al. (2015)
Tunisia
 
  • Tataouine
    • Tataouine (Foum Tatahouine)
Benzerara et al. (2002)
USA
 
  • Texas
    • Randall County
Tomioka et al. (2017)
 
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