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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:
Melilite Group
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


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Unique IdentifiersHide

Mindat ID:
54030
Long-form identifier:
mindat:1:1:54030:0

IMA Classification of BennesheriteHide

Classification of BennesheriteHide

Strunz-mindat (2026):
9.BB.20

9 : SILICATES (Germanates)
B : Sorosilicates
B : Si2O7 groups, without non-tetrahedral anions; cations in tetrahedral [4] and greater 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
BnhIMA–CNMNCWarr, L.N. (2021). IMA–CNMNC approved mineral symbols. Mineralogical Magazine, 85(3), 291-320. doi:10.1180/mgm.2021.43

Physical Properties of BennesheriteHide

Lustre:
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)
Parting:
None
Fracture:
Conchoidal
Density:
4.39 g/cm3 (Calculated)

Optical Data of BennesheriteHide

Type:
Uniaxial (-)
RI values:
nω = 1.711(2) nε = 1.708(2)
Max. Birefringence:
δ = 0.003
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.

Surface Relief:
Moderate

Chemistry of BennesheriteHide

Mindat Formula:
Ba2Fe2+[Si2O7]
Element Weights:
Element% weight
Ba55.078 %
O22.459 %
Si11.264 %
Fe11.199 %

Calculated from ideal end-member formula.
Elements listed:
Ba, Fe, O, Si - search for minerals with similar chemistry

Crystallography of BennesheriteHide

Crystal System:
Tetragonal
Class (H-M):
42m - Scalenohedral
Space Group:
P421m
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 DiffractionHide

Geological EnvironmentHide

Paragenetic Mode(s):
Paragenetic ModeEarliest Age (Ga)
Stage 10a: Neoproterozoic oxygenation/terrestrial biosphere<0.6
51 : Pyrometamorphic minerals (see also #54 and #56)<0.36

Type Occurrence of BennesheriteHide

Type Locality:
ⓘ Gurim anticline, Hatrurim Basin, Tamar Regional Council, Beersheba Subdistrict, Southern District, Israel
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:
CelsianFresnoiteGarnet GroupGehleniteGurimite
HexacelsianRankiniteWalstromiteZadovite
Reference:
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

Other Language Names for BennesheriteHide

Relationship of Bennesherite to other SpeciesHide

Member of:
Melilite Group
Other Members of Melilite Group:
ÅkermaniteCa2Mg[Si2O7]Tet. 42m : P421m
Alumoåkermanite(CaNa)Al[Si2O7]Tet. 42m : P421m
'Ferri-gehlenite'Ca2Fe3+[AlSiO7]
FerroåkermaniteCa2Fe[Si2O7]Tet. 42m : P421m
GehleniteCa2Al[AlSiO7]Tet. 42m : P421m
GugiaiteCa2Be[Si2O7]Tet. 42m : P42m
HardystoniteCa2Zn[Si2O7]Tet. 42m : P421m
Hydroxylgugiaite(Ca,◻)2(Si,Be)[(Be,Si)2O5.5(OH)1.5]Tet. 42m : P421m
OkayamaliteCa2B[BSiO7]Tet. 42m : P421m

Related Minerals - Strunz-mindat GroupingHide

9.BB.10HardystoniteCa2Zn[Si2O7]Tet. 42m : P421m
9.BB.10OkayamaliteCa2B[BSiO7]Tet. 42m : P421m
9.BB.10Jeffreyite(Ca,Na)2(Be,Al)(Si2O7,HSi2O7)Orth. 222 : C2221
9.BB.10Alumoåkermanite(CaNa)Al[Si2O7]Tet. 42m : P421m
9.BB.10ÅkermaniteCa2Mg[Si2O7]Tet. 42m : P421m
9.BB.10'Ferri-gehlenite'Ca2Fe3+[AlSiO7]
9.BB.10GehleniteCa2Al[AlSiO7]Tet. 42m : P421m
9.BB.10FerroåkermaniteCa2Fe[Si2O7]Tet. 42m : P421m
9.BB.10CebolliteCa5Al2(SiO4)3(OH)4Orth.
9.BB.10Hydroxylgugiaite(Ca,◻)2(Si,Be)[(Be,Si)2O5.5(OH)1.5]Tet. 42m : P421m
9.BB.10GugiaiteCa2Be[Si2O7]Tet. 42m : P42m
9.BB.15BaryliteBe2Ba(Si2O7)Orth.
9.BB.15'Barylite-1O'Be2Ba(Si2O7)Mon. m : Pm
9.BB.20AndrémeyeriteBaFe2+2(Si2O7)Mon. 2/m : P21/b

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 BennesheriteHide

References for BennesheriteHide

Localities for BennesheriteHide

Showing 6 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.
Germany
 
  • Rhineland-Palatinate
    • Mayen-Koblenz
      • Mayen
        • Seekante
Skrzyńska et al. (2023)
Juroszek et al. (Ti 5 Fe)
      • Vordereifel
        • Ettringen
Juroszek et al. (2022) +1 other reference
Israel
 
  • Southern District
    • Beersheba Subdistrict
      • Tamar Regional Council
        • Hatrurim Basin
Juroszek et al. (2025)
Miyawaki et al. (2019) +2 other references
Krzątała et al. (2023)
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