Keatite Explained
Keatite is a silicate mineral with the chemical formula SiO2 (silicon dioxide) that was discovered in nature in 2013. It is a tetragonal polymorph of silica first known as a synthetic phase.[1] It was reported as minute inclusions within clinopyroxene (diopside) crystals in an ultra high pressure garnet pyroxenite body. The host rock is part of the Kokchetav Massif in Kazakhstan.[2]
Keatite was synthesized in 1954 and named for Paul P. Keat who discovered it while studying the role of soda in the crystallization of amorphous silica.[3] Keatite was well known before 1970 as evidenced in few studies from that era.[4] [5]
Notes and References
- http://www.mindat.org/min-2173.html Ralph, Jolyon, and Ida Ralph. "Keatite: Keatite Mineral Information and Data." MinDat. 2013. Aug. 2013
- http://www.minsocam.org/msa/ammin/toc/Abstracts/2013_Abstracts/Jan13_Abstracts/Hill_p187_13.pdf Abstract Hill, Tina R., Hiromi Konishi, and Huifang Xu, Natural occurrence of keatite precipitates in UHP clinopyroxene from the Kokchetav Massif: A TEM investigation, American Mineralogist, Volume 98, pages 187–196, 2013
- https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.120.3113.328 Science 120 (27 Aug1954) pp 328-330 with the title "A new crystalline silica.
- Transformation mechanism between high-quartz and keatite phases of LiAlSi2O6 composition. 10.1107/S0567740871003649. 1971. Li. C. T.. Acta Crystallographica Section B: Structural Crystallography and Crystal Chemistry. 27. 6. 1132–1140.
- Keatite; II, Hydrothermal synthesis from silica-glass. European Journal of Mineralogy. December 1995. 7. 6. 1389–1397. Martin. Brigitte. 10.1127/ejm/7/6/1389. 1995EJMin...7.1389M.
