gsminmag Mineralogical Magazine Mineralogical Magazine 0026-461X Mineralogical Society 10.1180/minmag.1978.042.323.06 The Crystal Structure of Stilpnomelane. Part III: Chemistry and Physical Properties Eggleton R. A. Chappell B. W. Department of Geology, Australian National University, Canberra, A.C.T. 9 1978 42 323 361 368 12 12 1977 24 4 1978 Copyright © 1978, The Mineralogical Society 1978 Summary

Full chemical analysis, cell dimensions, γ refractive index, density, and infra-red absorption spectrum have been determined for fourteen stilpnomelanes. Coupled with data from previously described material and electron probe analyses of three further samples, the new information shows that γ = 1·616+0·0047 Fe3+ −0·0037 Mg; substitution of Mn for Fe appears to have little effect on γ. For ferrostilpnomelane, D = 2·85−0·011 Mg, for ferristilpnomelane, D = 2·89−0·011 Mg. Cell dimensions clearly distinguish ferro-, ferri-, and man-ganstilpnomelanes; for ferri-stilpnomelane a = 22·03−0·00446 Mg−0·00786 Fe3+ (Å). A convenient approximation to the structural formula using a ⅛ subcell, is K0·6(Mg, Fe2+Fe3+)6Si8Al(O,OH)27 2–4 H2O.