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Ellinaite
A valid IMA mineral species
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About Ellinaite
Formula:
CaCr2O4
Colour:
Black
Lustre:
Sub-Metallic
Hardness:
4½ - 5
Specific Gravity:
5.217 (Calculated)
Crystal System:
Orthorhombic
Member of:
Name:
Named in honor of Prof. Ella (Ellina) Vladimirovna Sokol (Эллина Владимировна Сокол), a specialist in pyrometamorphic mineralogy at the Sobolev Institute of Geology and Mineralogy, Siberian Branch, Russian Academy of Sciences.
Co-Type Localities:
Isostructural with:
The Cr analogue of harmunite and marokite. The Ca analogue of chenmingite and xieite. Chemically similar to chromatite.
A high-temperature (>1000 oC), but variable-pressure mineral.
A post-spinel structure.
A high-temperature (>1000 oC), but variable-pressure mineral.
A post-spinel structure.
Unique Identifiers
Mindat ID:
54111
Long-form identifier:
mindat:1:1:54111:4
Similar Names
| eolianite | A synonym of 'Aeolianite' |
IMA Classification of Ellinaite
Approved
IMA Formula:
CaCr3+2O4
Approval year:
2019
First published:
2021
Type description reference:
Classification of Ellinaite
4.BC.
4 : OXIDES (Hydroxides, V[5,6] vanadates, arsenites, antimonites, bismuthites, sulfites, selenites, tellurites, iodates)
B : Metal: Oxygen = 3:4 and similar
C : With medium-sized and large cations
4 : OXIDES (Hydroxides, V[5,6] vanadates, arsenites, antimonites, bismuthites, sulfites, selenites, tellurites, iodates)
B : Metal: Oxygen = 3:4 and similar
C : With medium-sized and large cations
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 |
|---|---|---|
| El | 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 Ellinaite
Sub-Metallic
Colour:
Black
Streak:
Black
Hardness:
4½ - 5 on Mohs scale
Hardness Data:
Estimated
Comment:
Hardness similar to chromite
Tenacity:
Brittle
Cleavage:
None Observed
Parting:
None
Fracture:
Irregular/Uneven
Density:
5.217 g/cm3 (Calculated)
Optical Data of Ellinaite
Anisotropism:
Weak
Bireflectance:
None observed
Reflectivity:
| Wavelength | R1 (%) | R2 (%) |
|---|---|---|
| 400nm | 16.85% | 17.19% |
| 420nm | 16.25% | 16.55% |
| 440nm | 16.00% | 16.26% |
| 460nm | 15.56% | 15.82% |
| 470nm | 15.35% | 15.63% |
| 480nm | 15.17% | 15.45% |
| 500nm | 14.94% | 15.12% |
| 520nm | 14.76% | 14.89% |
| 540nm | 14.62% | 14.75% |
| 546nm | 14.59% | 14.73% |
| 560nm | 14.51% | 14.63% |
| 580nm | 14.45% | 14.56% |
| 589nm | 14.42% | 14.55% |
| 600nm | 14.41% | 14.51% |
| 620nm | 14.42% | 14.54% |
| 640nm | 14.43% | 14.57% |
| 650nm | 14.48% | 14.54% |
| 660nm | 14.52% | 14.69% |
| 680nm | 14.59% | 14.80% |
| 700nm | 14.70% | 14.95% |
Graph shows reflectance levels at different wavelengths (in nm). Peak reflectance is 17.19%.
R1 shown in black, R2 shown in red
Colour in reflected light:
Gray with a blue tint
Internal Reflections:
Weak, red-brown
Pleochroism:
Not Visible
Chemistry of Ellinaite
Mindat Formula:
CaCr2O4
Element Weights:
Elements listed:
Crystallography of Ellinaite
Crystal System:
Orthorhombic
Class (H-M):
mmm(2/m2/m2/m) - Dipyramidal
Space Group:
Pnma
Setting:
Pnma
Cell Parameters:
a = 8.868(9) Å, b = 2.885 (3) Å, c = 10.355 (11) Å
Ratio:
a:b:c = 3.074 : 1 : 3.589
Unit Cell V:
264.924 ų
Z:
4
Comment:
by HRTEM; a tunnel structure
X-Ray Powder Diffraction
Powder Diffraction Data:
| d-spacing | Intensity |
|---|---|
| 4.434 Å | (23) |
| 2.589 Å | (54) |
| 2.567 Å | (100) |
| 2.424 Å | (69) |
| 2.418 Å | (62) |
| 2.148 Å | (34) |
| 1.767 Å | (35) |
| 1.758 Å | (22) |
Geological Environment
Paragenetic Mode(s):
| Paragenetic Mode | Earliest Age (Ga) |
|---|---|
| High-? alteration and/or metamorphism | |
| 31 : Thermally altered carbonate, phosphate, and iron formations |
Type Occurrence of Ellinaite
Co-Type Localities:
General Appearance of Type Material:
Subhedral grains up to 30 µm, or as rims over zoned chromite–magnesiochromite (the pyrometamorphic material); associated minerals in diamond: ferropericlase, magnesioferrite, graphite, orthorhombic MgCr2O4, and an unidentified Fe carbide and graphite.
Place of Conservation of Type Material:
In the collections of the Fersman Mineralogical Museum,Moscow Russia, registration number 5439/1 (holotype), the Central Siberian Geological Museum, Novosibirsk, Russia, catalogue number VII-102/1 (holotype), and the Vernadsky Institute of Geochemistry and Analytical Chemistry, catalogue number 8/108 (cotype).
Geological Setting of Type Material:
In a pyrometamorphic formation (reduced rankinite–gehlenite paralava); also as an inclusion in a super-deep diamond.
Associated Minerals at Type Locality:
Reference:
Synonyms of Ellinaite
Other Language Names for Ellinaite
Relationship of Ellinaite to other Species
Member of:
Other Members of Marokite Supergroup:
| Chenmingite | FeCr2O4 | Orth. mmm(2/m2/m2/m) : Pnma |
| Harmunite | CaFe2O4 | Orth. mmm(2/m2/m2/m) : Pbcm |
| Marokite | CaMn3+2O4 | Orth. |
| Tschaunerite | (Fe2+)(Fe2+Ti4+)O4 | Orth. mmm(2/m2/m2/m) : Cmcm |
| Wernerkrauseite | Ca(Fe3+,Mn3+)2Mn4+O6 | Orth. mmm(2/m2/m2/m) : Pnma |
| Xieite | Fe2+Cr2O4 | Orth. mmm(2/m2/m2/m) |
Common Associates
Associations Based on Photo Data:
Related Minerals - Strunz-mindat Grouping
| 4.BC. | Abelloemringerite | Cu2Pb2Mn3+Mn4+ 3O11(OH)(H2O)2 · H2O |
| 4.BC. | Addibischoffite | Ca2Al6Al6O20 |
| 4.BC.5 | Karlleuite | Ca2MnO4 |
| 4.BC.05 | Marokite | CaMn3+2O4 |
| 4.BC.10 | Dmitryivanovite | CaAl2O4 |
| 4.BC.15 | Warkite | Ca2Sc6Al6O20 |
| 4.BC.25 | Kudryavtsevaite | Na3(Mg,Fe)(Fe,Ti)2Ti3O12 |
| 4.BC.30 | Tululite | Ca14(Fe3+,Al)(Al,Zn,Fe3+,Si,P,Mn,Mg)15O36 |
| 4.BC.30 | Valleyite | Ca4Fe6O13 |
| 4.BC.35 | Krotite | CaAl2O4 |
| 4.BC.40 | Bacaferrite | BaCaFe4O8 |
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 Ellinaite
mindat.org URL:
https://www.mindat.org/min-54111.html
Please feel free to link to this page.
Please feel free to link to this page.
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External Links:
Mineral Dealers:
References for Ellinaite
Reference List:
Miyawaki, Ritsuro, Hatert, Frédéric, Pasero, Marco, Mills, Stuart J. (2020) IMA Commission on New Minerals, Nomenclature and Classification (CNMNC) – Newsletter 53. European Journal of Mineralogy, 32 (1) 209-213 doi:10.5194/ejm-32-209-2020
Xue, Weihong, Zhai, Kuan, Zhai, Shuangmeng (2021) Thermal expansion of ellinaite (β-CaCr2O4): an in-situ high temperature X-ray diffraction study. Physics and Chemistry of Minerals, 48 (1). 2 doi:10.1007/s00269-020-01126-2
Galuskina, Irina O., Stachowicz, Marcin, Woźniak, Krzysztof, Vapnik, Yevgeny, Galuskin, Evgeny (2021) Mcconnellite, CuCrO2 and ellinaite, CaCr2O4, from varicoloured spurrite marble of the Daba-Siwaqa area, Hatrurim Complex, Jordan. Mineralogical Magazine, 85 (3) 387-397 doi:10.1180/mgm.2021.27
Sharygin, Victor V., Britvin, Sergey N., Kaminsky, Felix V., Wirth, Richard, Nigmatulina, Elena N., Yakovlev, Grigory A., Novoselov, Konstantin A., Murashko, Mikhail N. (2021) Ellinaite, CaCr2O4, a new natural post-spinel oxide from Hatrurim Basin, Israel, and Juína kimberlite field, Brazil. European Journal of Mineralogy, 33 (6) 727-742 doi:10.5194/ejm-33-727-2021
Localities for Ellinaite
Showing 4 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.
Brazil (TL) | |
| Miyawaki et al. (2020) +1 other reference |
Israel (TL) | |
| Miyawaki et al. (2020) +1 other reference |
| Miyawaki et al. (2020) +1 other reference |
Jordan | |
| Galuskina et al. (2021) |
Quick NavTopAbout EllinaiteUnique IdentifiersSimilar NamesIMA Classification Classification Mineral SymbolsPhysical Properties Optical Data Chemistry Crystallography X-Ray Powder DiffractionGeological EnvironmentType Occurrence SynonymsOther LanguagesRelationshipsCommon AssociatesStrunz-MindatOther InformationInternet Links References Localities Locality List
Sorriso river, Juína, Mato Grosso, Brazil