1457
The Canadian Mineralogist
Vol. 38, pp. 1457-1466 (2000)
ADAMSITE-(Y), A NEW SODIUM–YTTRIUM CARBONATE MINERAL SPECIES
FROM MONT SAINT-HILAIRE, QUEBEC
JOEL D. GRICE
§
and ROBERT A. GAULT
Research Division, Canadian Museum of Nature, P.O. Box 3443, Station D, Ottawa, Ontario K1P 6P4, Canada
ANDREW C. ROBERTS
Geological Survey of Canada, 601 Booth Street, Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0E8, Canada
MARK A. COOPER
Department of Geological Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba R3T 2N2, Canada
A
BSTRACT
Adamsite-(Y), ideally NaY(CO
3
)
2
•6H
2
O, is a newly identified mineral from the Poudrette quarry, Mont Saint-Hilaire, Quebec.
It occurs as groups of colorless to white and pale pink, rarely pale purple, flat, acicular to fibrous crystals. These crystals are up
to 2.5 cm in length and form spherical radiating aggregates. Associated minerals include aegirine, albite, analcime, ancylite-(Ce),
calcite, catapleiite, dawsonite, donnayite-(Y), elpidite, epididymite, eudialyte, eudidymite, fluorite, franconite, gaidonnayite,
galena, genthelvite, gmelinite, gonnardite, horváthite-(Y), kupletskite, leifite, microcline, molybdenite, narsarsukite, natrolite,
nenadkevichite, petersenite-(Ce), polylithionite, pyrochlore, quartz, rhodochrosite, rutile, sabinaite, sérandite, siderite, sphalerite,
thomasclarkite-(Y), zircon and an unidentified Na–REE carbonate (UK 91). The transparent to translucent mineral has a vitreous
to pearly luster and a white streak. It is soft (Mohs hardness 3) and brittle with perfect {001} and good {100} and {010} cleav-
ages. Adamsite-(Y) is biaxial positive,
␣ = 1.480(4),  = 1.498(2), ␥ = 1.571(4), 2V
meas.
= 53(3)
°
, 2V
calc.
= 55
°
and is nonpleochroic.
Optical orientation: X = [001], Y = b, Z
a = 14
°
(in
 obtuse). It is triclinic, space group P¯1, with unit-cell parameters refined
from powder data: a 6.262(2), b 13.047(6), c 13.220(5) Å,
␣ 91.17(4),  103.70(4), ␥ 89.99(4)
°
, V 1049.1(5) Å
3
and Z = 4. The
strongest six X-ray powder-diffraction lines [d in Å(I)(hkl)] are: 12.81(100)(001), 6.45(70)(002), 4.456(60)(¯1¯21,¯120),
4.291(60)(003), 2.571(60)(005, 043) and 2.050(50)(125,¯126). Electron-microprobe and thermogravimetric analyses, supported
by crystal-structure analysis and infrared-absorption spectroscopy, yield Na
2
O 8.64, CaO 0.05, Y
2
O
3
22.88, Ce
2
O
3
0.37, Nd
2
O
3
1.41, Sm
2
O
3
1.02, Gd
2
O
3
1.92, Tb
2
O
3
0.56, Dy
2
O
3
3.28, Ho
2
O
3
0.90, Er
2
O
3
2.83, Tm
2
O
3
0.27, Yb
2
O
3
1.04, CO
2
25.10, H
2
O
29.90, total 100.17 wt.%. The empirical formula, based on 12 oxygen atoms, is Na
1.00
(Y
0.72
Dy
0.06
Er
0.05
Gd
0.04
Nd
0.03
Yb
0.02
Sm
0.02
Ho
0.02
Ce
0.01
Tb
0.01
Tm
0.01
)
⌺0.99
C
2.04
H
11.87
O
12
. The calculated density (from the empirical formula) is 2.27 g/cm
3
, and the meas-
ured density is 2.27(2) g/cm
3
. The structure has been refined to R = 0.046. The structure is layered, with two different carbonate
groups, one parallel and one perpendicular to the layering. Slabs of [NaY(CO
3
)] are separated by [H
2
O] layers. Adjacent [H
2
O]
layers are only H-bonded together, which gives rise to the perfect {001} cleavage. The mineral is named after Frank Dawson
Adams (1859–1942), geologist and professor at McGill University, Montreal.
Keywords: adamsite-(Y), new mineral species, sodium yttrium dicarbonate hexahydrate, crystal structure, Mont Saint-Hilaire,
Quebec.
S
OMMAIRE
La nouvelle espèce minérale adamsite-(Y), de composition idéale NaY(CO
3
)
2
•6H
2
O, a été découverte à la carrière Poudrette,
au mont Saint-Hilaire, Québec. Elle se présente en groupes de cristaux incolores, blancs ou rose pâle, et plus rarement violacés,
plats et aciculaires ou fibreux. Ces cristaux atteignent 2.5 cm en longueur et forment des agrégats fibroradiés. Lui sont associés
aegyrine, albite, analcime, ancylite-(Ce), calcite, catapleiite, dawsonite, donnayite-(Y), elpidite, epididymite, eudialyte,
eudidymite, fluorite, franconite, gaidonnayite, galène, genthelvite, gmelinite, gonnardite, horváthite-(Y), kupletskite, leifite,
microcline, molybdénite, narsarsukite, natrolite, nenadkevichite, petersenite-(Ce), polylithionite, pyrochlore, quartz,
rhodochrosite, rutile, sabinaïte, sérandite, sidérite, sphalérite, thomasclarkite-(Y), zircon et un carbonate à Na–REE non encore
identifié (UK 91). Le minéral est transparent à translucide et possède un éclat vitreux à nacré et une rayure blanche. Il s’agit d’un
minéral mou (dureté de Mohs de 3) et cassant, ayant un clivage {001} parfait et des clivages {100} et {010} assez bons.
§
E-mail address: jgrice@mus-nature.ca
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1458
THE
CANADIAN
MINERALOGIST
I
NTRODUCTION
The new mineral species described herein, adamsite-
(Y), is the latest in a series of new carbonate minerals
recently described from the Poudrette quarry, Mont
Saint-Hilaire, Rouville County, Quebec. Fifty-seven
carbonate species are known to occur at Mont Saint-
Hilaire, many of them containing essential Na and rare-
earth elements (REE) (Grice & Gault 1998). To date, a
total of 333 mineral species have been identified from
this locality, a well-known source of rare and exotic
minerals (Horváth & Gault 1990).
Adamsite-(Y) was initially recognized as being a
new species in 1992 by Dr. G.Y. Chao, Carleton Uni-
versity, on material submitted by a private collector,
Gilles Haineault, and was designated as UK 96. In 1998,
more material was found, but the chemical and X-ray
data were not compared with those of the initial find,
and the mineral from this second find was designated
UK 106. It has since been determined that these two
minerals are identical. Another mineral with similar
chemical composition, similar appearance, and found in
the same environment as adamsite-(Y), has been desig-
nated as UK 91. This material is more finely fibrous
than adamsite-(Y), however, and has a significantly dif-
ferent X-ray powder-diffraction pattern.
Adamsite-(Y) is named in honor of Frank Dawson
Adams (1859–1942), geologist and professor at McGill
University, Montreal. After graduating in chemistry and
mineralogy from McGill University, he joined the Geo-
logical Survey of Canada in 1879 as “lithologist” and
chemist. He studied the new science of petrography at
Heidelberg, Germany in 1881 and went on to become
the Survey’s leading specialist in the study of crystal-
line rocks. In 1889, he was appointed Logan Professor
of Geology at McGill University, where he continued
his studies on Precambrian rocks, particularly those of
the Laurentian and Grenville regions of Quebec and
Ontario. It was during this period that he studied the
Cretaceous igneous rocks of the Monteregian Hills, of
which Mont Saint-Hilaire is a member, and was the first
to describe this group of hills as the Monteregian Hills
petrographic province (Adams 1903). As well, he served
as president of the Geological Society of America and
the Canadian Mining Institute.
The new mineral and mineral name were approved
by the Commission on New Minerals and Mineral
Names, IMA. Cotype material is housed in the collec-
tion of the Canadian Museum of Nature under catalogue
numbers CMNMC 82939 and CMNMC 82940.
O
CCURRENCE
Adamsite-(Y) occurs as a late-stage, low-tempera-
ture hydrothermal phase within cavities in a large alka-
line pegmatite dike, informally designated the Poudrette
dike, exposed in the southern corner of the Poudrette
quarry. The quarry, in turn, is situated on the northeast-
ern flank of Mont Saint-Hilaire, one of a series of plu-
tons aligned along the St. Lawrence Valley for almost
150 km eastward from Oka to Megantic, in the prov-
ince of Quebec. The pegmatite dike, which pinches and
swells from 2 to 4 m across, has been exposed on levels
6, 7, 8 and 9 of the quarry. Five new Na- and REE-bear-
ing carbonate mineral species have been described from
this dike: lukechangite-(Ce), horváthite-(Y), reederite-
(Y), thomasclarkite-(Y) and adamsite-(Y), the subject
of this paper. Minerals found in that portion of the dike
in which adamsite-(Y) was discovered include aegirine,
albite, analcime, ancylite-(Ce), calcite, catapleiite, daw-
sonite, donnayite-(Y), elpidite, epididymite, eudialyte,
eudidymite, fluorite, franconite, gaidonnayite, galena,
genthelvite, gmelinite, gonnardite, horváthite-(Y),
kupletskite, leifite, microcline, molybdenite, narsarsuk-
L’adamsite-(Y) est biaxe positive,
␣ = 1.480(4),  = 1.498(2), ␥ = 1.571(4), 2V
mes.
= 53(3)
°
, 2V
calc.
= 55
°
, et non pléochroïque.
Son orientation optique est: X = [001], Y = b, Z
a = 14
°
(dans l’angle
 obtus). Le minéral est triclinique, groupe spatial P¯1,
avec une maille élémentaire affinée à partir des données obtenues sur poudre: a 6.262(2), b 13.047(6), c 13.220(5) Å,
␣ 91.17(4),
 103.70(4), ␥ 89.99(4)
°
, V 1049.1(5) Å
3
et Z = 4. Les six raies les plus intenses du spectre de diffraction X [d en Å(I)(hkl)] sont:
12.81(100)(001), 6.45(70)(002), 4.456(60)(¯1¯21,¯120), 4.291(60)(003), 2.571(60)(005, 043) et 2.050(50)(125, ¯126). Les analyses
obtenues par microsonde électronique et par thermogravimétrie, supplémentées par une ébauche de la structure cristalline et un
spectre d’absorption dans l’infra-rouge, mène à la composition Na
2
O 8.64, CaO 0.05, Y
2
O
3
22.88, Ce
2
O
3
0.37, Nd
2
O
3
1.41,
Sm
2
O
3
1.02, Gd
2
O
3
1.92, Tb
2
O
3
0.56, Dy
2
O
3
3.28, Ho
2
O
3
0.90, Er
2
O
3
2.83, Tm
2
O
3
0.27, Yb
2
O
3
1.04, CO
2
25.10, H
2
O 29.90,
pour un total de 100.17% (poids). La formule empirique, fondée sur une base de 12 atomes d’oxygène, est Na
1.00
(Y
0.72
Dy
0.06
Er
0.05
Gd
0.04
Nd
0.03
Yb
0.02
Sm
0.02
Ho
0.02
Ce
0.01
Tb
0.01
Tm
0.01
)
⌺0.99
C
2.04
H
11.87
O
12
. La densité calculée (à partir de la formule empirique) est
2.27 g/cm
3
, et la densité mesurée est 2.27(2) g/cm
3
. La structure a été affinée jusqu’à un résidu R de 0.046. L’adamsite-(Y) est un
minéral en couches ayant deux groupes de carbonate distincts, un parallèle aux couches et l’autre perpendiculaire. Les couches de
composition [NaY(CO
3
)] sont séparées par des couches de [H
2
O]. Les couches adjacentes de [H
2
O] ne sont interliées que par
liaisons hydrogènes, ce qui rend compte du clivage {001} parfait. Le minéral honore Frank Dawson Adams (1859–1942), géologue
et professeur à l’Université McGill.
(Traduit par la Rédaction)
Mots-clés: adamsite-(Y), nouvelle espèce minérale, bicarbonate de sodium et yttrium hexahydraté, structure cristalline, mont
Saint-Hilaire, Québec.
V
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1458
ADAMSITE
-(
Y
)
FROM
MONT
SAINT
-
HILAIRE
,
QUEBEC
1459
F
IG
. 1.
Photograph of adamsite-(Y). Photograph by Harry Taylor. The National History Museum, London, specimen number
BM 1998, 172. Scale bar: 1 cm.
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THE
CANADIAN
MINERALOGIST
ite, natrolite, nenadkevichite, petersenite-(Ce), poly-
lithionite, pyrochlore, quartz, rhodochrosite, rutile,
sabinaite, sérandite, siderite, sphalerite, thomasclarkite–
(Y), zircon and an unidentified Na–REE–carbonate (UK
91). We discuss the genesis of adamsite-(Y) later in this
paper.
P
HYSICAL
AND
O
PTICAL
P
ROPERTIES
Adamsite-(Y) occurs as flat, acicular to fibrous crys-
tals, up to 2.5 cm in length. They typically form spheri-
cal groups of radiating crystals, and rarely form
reticulated groups (Fig. 1). The mineral is elongate on
[001] and flat on (001). Forms observed are the
pinacoids {010} and {001}. It is colorless to white, oc-
casionally pale pink, and rarely pale purple. It is trans-
parent to translucent with a vitreous and occasionally
pearly luster, and a white streak. It is brittle with perfect
{001} and good {100} and {010} cleavages. Adamsite-
(Y) is relatively soft (Mohs hardness 3) and does not
fluoresce in either long- or short-wave ultraviolet light.
The density, measured by suspension in a solution of
bromoform and butyl alcohol, is 2.27(2) g/cm
3
, which
compares very well to the density of 2.27 g/cm
3
calcu-
lated for the empirical formula.
Adamsite-(Y) is biaxial positive,
␣ 1.480(4), 
1.498(2),
␥ 1.571(4); 2V
meas.
= 53(3)
°
, 2V
calc.
= 55
°
, (for
= 590 nm). The optical orientation is X = [001], Y = b,
Z
a = 14
°
(in
 obtuse). It is nonpleochroic. A
Gladstone–Dale calculation gives a compatibility index
of –0.009, which is regarded as superior (Mandarino
1981).
C
HEMICAL
C
OMPOSITION
Chemical analyses were done in wavelength-disper-
sion (WD) mode on a JEOL 733 electron microprobe
using Tracor Northern 5500 and 5600 automation. Data
reduction was done with a PAP routine in XMAQNT
(pers. commun., C. Davidson, CSIRO). The analysis of
adamsite-(Y) by electron microprobe was problematic
because of decrepitation of the sample and the lifting of
the carbon coating due to dehydration under prolonged
vacuum. The decrepitation results from the weak H-
bonding linking adjacent H
2
O groups in the structure.
To minimize this effect, calibration of the standards was
performed first, and the samples were later introduced
into the specimen chamber and analyzed immediately.
This method, along with adoption of a rather large di-
ameter of the beam, 50
m, limited Na migration, vola-
tilization and general burn-up of the sample. The
operating voltage of the electron probe was 15 kV, and
the beam current was 20 nA. Data for all elements in
the samples were collected for 25 s or 0.50% precision,
whichever was attained first. A 100 s energy-dispersion
scan indicated no elements with Z > 8 other than those
reported here. Seven analyses were performed on three
crystals. The presence of CO
2
and H
2
O was confirmed
by infrared-absorption spectroscopy, and their concen-
trations were established by thermogravimetric analy-
sis (TGA). As only one-half of the CO
2
was evolved
during TGA, the amount given below consists of two
summed portions, one measured (the gas evolved, 12.9
wt.%) and the other, the ideal amount determined by
crystal-structure analysis (non-evolved during heating,
12.2 wt.%).
The following standards were used in the electron-
microprobe analyses: albite (NaK
␣), calcite (CaK␣),
synthetic yttrium iron garnet (YIG) (YK
␣), and a set of
synthetic REE phosphates (CeL
␣, NdL␣, SmL␣, GdL␣,
TbL
␣, DyL, HoL␣, ErL␣, TmL␣, YbL␣). La, Pr and
Eu were sought but not detected. Lu was detected in
trace amounts. Data for standards were collected for 50
s or 0.25% precision, whichever was attained first. The
REE raw data were corrected for overlaps. The chemi-
cal composition is Na
2
O 8.64, CaO 0.05, Y
2
O
3
22.88,
Ce
2
O
3
0.37, Nd
2
O
3
1.41, Sm
2
O
3
1.02, Gd
2
O
3
1.92,
Tb
2
O
3
0.56, Dy
2
O
3
3.28, Ho
2
O
3
0.90, Er
2
O
3
2.83,
Tm
2
O
3
0.27, Yb
2
O
3
1.04, CO
2
25.10, H
2
O 29.90, total
100.17 wt.%. The empirical formula, based on 12 at-
oms of oxygen, is Na
1.00
(Y
0.72
Dy
0.06
Er
0.05
Gd
0.04
Nd
0.03
Yb
0.02
Sm
0.02
Ho
0.02
Ce
0.01
Tb
0.01
Tm
0.01
)
⌺0.99
C
2.04
H
11.87
O
12
.
This simplifies to the ideal formula NaY(CO
3
)
2
•6H
2
O.
Adamsite-(Y) readily dissolves with strong efferves-
cence in 10% HCl and decrepitates owing to dehydra-
tion in acetone (rapid) and alcohol (slow).
T
HERMOGRAVIMETRIC
AND
D
IFFERENTIAL
T
HERMAL
A
NALYSIS
Two differential thermogravimetric analyses (DTG)
of adamsite-(Y) were done using a Mettler–Toledo
TA8000 system (software version 3.0), which uses a
Mettler TG50 module linked to a Mettler M3 microbal-
ance. The purge gas was dry nitrogen, with a flow rate
of 200 mL/min. Two samples of pure material, weigh-
ing 10.196 and 10.847 mg, respectively, were each
ground to a fine powder and heated from room tempera-
ture to 1000
°
C at a rate of 5
°
C/min. The weight losses
of 4.334 mg (42.5 wt.%) and 4.670 mg (43.1 wt.%) oc-
curred in two major steps (DTG, Fig. 2): between 80
and 270
°
C, 27.0 wt.% on average and between 380 and
590
°
C, 15.8 wt.% on average. The interpretation of the
DTG scan is given in Table 1. The first weight-loss step
is interpreted as the loss of 10 (H
2
O) groups, which ide-
ally should be 25.0 wt.%, making the measured value a
V
1457 38#6-déc.00-2203-13
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1460
ADAMSITE
-(
Y
)
FROM
MONT
SAINT
-
HILAIRE
,
QUEBEC
1461
little high. The second weight-loss step is interpreted as
the loss of two additional (H
2
O) groups plus the break-
up of one of the (CO
3
)
2–
anions and its loss as CO
2
(Mochizuki et al. 1974). Ideally, this second weight-loss
step should be 12.2 wt.%, making the observed value of
12.9 wt.% a little high. Mochizuki et al. (1974) dis-
cussed their DTG and differential thermal analysis
(DTA) results on synthetic double carbonates similar in
composition to adamsite-(Y). The TGA and DTA curves
they presented are very similar to those of adamsite-(Y).
They proposed that the final product after heating is a
REE oxycarbonate, e.g., YNaO(CO
3
). Although the
final product after heating was X-rayed, we found no
suitable match to any compound listed in the Powder
Diffraction File (PDF), including NaYO
2
(PDF 32–
1203). It is well established that the production of so-
dium peroxide, Na
2
O
2
, takes place at temperatures
below 500
°
C (Cotton & Wilkinson 1980). Thus an al-
ternative explanation is that Na acts as a reducing agent
for the entire system and evolves CO, not CO
2
, and that
the final product is a peroxide, NaYO
4
. Although two
possible end-products of heating have been postulated,
there is a preference for the REE oxycarbonate based
on a chemical test with HCl that produced efferves-
cence.
The differential thermal analysis curve (DTA, Fig.
2) reveals one smooth endothermic peak for the initial
loss in H
2
O, followed by a distinct shoulder that corre-
sponds to almost 25% of the weight percent loss in H
2
O.
This weight loss would be the H
2
O groups more strongly
bonded to both Na and Y (OW13 and OW15; see be-
low), whereas the other H
2
O groups are bonded to Na
only (OW17, OW18, OW19, OW20, OW21, OW22,
OW23 and OW24). The second weight-loss is trimodal
on the DTA curve and is due to the difference in energy
required to drive off two additional H
2
O groups (OW14
and OW16) and the two less strongly bonded (CO
3
)
2–
groups.
F
IG
. 2.
Differential thermogravimetric analysis (DTG) and
differential thermal analysis (DTA) of adamsite-(Y).
F
IG
. 3.
Infrared-absorption spectrum of adamsite-(Y).
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THE
CANADIAN
MINERALOGIST
I
NFRARED
S
PECTROSCOPY
The infrared-absorption spectrum of adamsite-(Y)
(Fig. 3) was obtained using a Bomem Michelson MB–
120 Fourier-transform infrared spectrometer equipped
with a diamond-anvil cell as a microsampling device.
The dominant absorption band is that of the O–H
stretching mode (3297 cm
–1
). The (H
2
O) bending band
(1673 cm
–1
) forms a shoulder on the large, split, asym-
metric stretching band for (CO
3
)
2–
. This splitting (1513
and 1377 cm
–1
) is explained by the fact that the carbon-
ate groups are very distorted, with distinctly differing
C–O bond lengths, as seen in the crystal-structure de-
termination. For this same reason, the (CO
3
)
2–
symmet-
ric band is also split (1115 and 1070 cm
–1
). The weak
intensity of this symmetric band is due to the limited
ability of the (CO
3
)
2–
group to undergo this type of
stretching mode. The 876 and 849 cm
–1
bands may be
due to out-of-plane bending of (CO
3
)
2–
. The remainder
of the spectra could not be unequivocally assigned. This
infrared-absorption spectrum is very similar in appear-
ance to that of thomasclarkite-(Y) (Grice & Gault 1998).
In thomasclarkite-(Y), the splitting of the carbonate
peaks is due to the presence of the (HCO
3
)
–
anion,
whereas in adamsite-(Y), the splitting of the carbonate
peaks is due to the influence of H-bonding.
X-R
AY
C
RYSTALLOGRAPHY
AND
C
RYSTAL
-S
TRUCTURE
D
ETERMINATION
Precession single-crystal photographs initially
showed adamsite-(Y) to be pseudo-orthorhombic, with
diffraction symmetry mmm. These crystals are twinned
by reflection on {001}; subsequent more precise work
on single crystals using a four-circle diffractometer in-
dicated triclinic symmetry, but metrically close to mono-
clinic. Much of the problem with the early single-crystal
work was the failure to realize that this mineral reacts
with the binding agent, amyl acetate, causing dehydra-
tion and subsequent almost complete decrepitation of
the crystal. This decrepitation reaction was exacerbated
by intense X-radiation; crystals subjected to this treat-
ment developed a crazed appearance. The crystal used
for the final data-collection was mounted on a glass fiber
with non-reacting epoxy. X-ray powder-diffraction data,
obtained with a Debye–Scherrer camera having a diam-
eter of 114.6 mm and using CuK
␣ radiation, are given
in Table 2. Whereas neither variation in intensity nor
shifting of d-values was noted in the X-ray powder pat-
terns during this study, other researchers have noted
some variability in the patterns, possibly indicating that
adamsite-(Y) may not be stable under minor fluctuations
in humidity levels (pers. commun., A.M. McDonald,
Laurentian Univ.). Indexing the powder data was diffi-
cult owing to the previously mentioned pseudosym-
metry, but the process was successful with the aid of
powder-pattern intensities calculated from the results of
the crystal-structure analysis.
In the final stage of data collection, a crystal frag-
ment of adamsite-(Y), measuring 160
ϫ 180 ϫ 40 m
for [100]
ϫ [010] ϫ [001], was mounted on a CCD-
equipped Bruker P4 fully automated four-circle
diffractometer operated at 40 kV and 40 mA. With the
CCD detector, almost a full sphere of intensity data was
collected out to 2
= 60
°
using a 15 s frame time and a
crystal-to-detector distance of 4 cm. The lowering of the
incident radiation power and the high-speed data col-
lection were in anticipation of potential problems with
crystal decrepitation. With these operating conditions,
1457 38#6-déc.00-2203-13
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ADAMSITE
-(
Y
)
FROM
MONT
SAINT
-
HILAIRE
,
QUEBEC
1463
no decrepitation was evident in the final analysis of the
intensity standards. Information relevant to the data
collection and structure determination is given in
Table 3. The three-dimensional data were reduced for
Lorentz, polarization, and background effects using the
Bruker program SAINT. An empirical plate-absorption
correction was done on the basis of 3998 reflections and
reduced the merging R of this dataset from 3.45% be-
fore the absorption correction to 3.10% after the absorp-
tion correction with a glancing angle of 7
°
.
Phasing of a set of normalized structure-factors gave
a mean value | E
2
– 1 | of 0.862. A calculated sharpened
Patterson function for space group P¯1 located the two Y
sites, the two Na sites and six lighter-element sites. This
model refined to R = 0.22. Additional O and C sites were
added following a series of
⌬F synthesis maps, which,
in turn, reduced the R index to 0.066. In the final least-
squares refinement, all atomic positions were refined
with anisotropic-displacement factors to a residual of R
= 0.046. The addition of an isotropic-extinction factor
did not improve the results. Although the |E
2
– 1| statis-
tic is low for centrosymmetric structures, lowering the
symmetry to P1 did not improve the refinement, nor was
there any indication that the lower symmetry suggested
a better structural model. Use of the program MISSYM
(Le Page 1987) suggests the possible presence of a two-
fold axis. The Laue merging for monoclinic symmetry
is 6.1%. The metric deviation from monoclinic symme-
try is only 0.2
°
, with a 25.72, b 6.260, c 13.085 Å,
␣
90.19,
 91.21 and ␥ 89.87. Essentially the same struc-
ture can be refined in C2/c (R = 0.06) with four of the
six H
2
O groups coordinated to the Na site split into two
half-occupied sites each. We view the 0.2
°
metric devia-
tion, the 6.1% Laue merging and the site splitting in C2/
c as sufficient evidence to rule out monoclinic symmetry.
Table 4 contains the final positional anisotropic-dis-
placement factors and equivalent isotropic-displacement
parameters, and Table 5 contains selected interatomic
distances and angles. Observed and calculated structure-
factors have been submitted to the Depository of Un-
published Data, CISTI, National Research Council of
Canada, Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0S2, Canada.
1457 38#6-déc.00-2203-13
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1464
THE
CANADIAN
MINERALOGIST
D
ESCRIPTION
AND
D
ISCUSSION
OF
THE
S
TRUCTURE
The structure of adamsite-(Y) has four large-cation
sites with two distinct polyhedra. The two Na sites, each
with six-fold coordination, occupy [Na(H
2
O)
6
] polyhe-
dra that may be described as a bifurcated tetragonal
pyramid with the Na atom slightly above the square
base. This base consists of four H
2
O groups, whereas
the bifurcated apex has two additional H
2
O groups. The
nine-fold coordination (seven O atoms and two H
2
O
groups) around each Y site may be described as a
monocapped square antiprism. All (CO
3
) polyhedra
share edges with this (Y
9
) polyhedron (
is an unspeci-
fied ligand).
The crystal structure of adamsite-(Y) is layered on
(001) (Fig. 4). The layering of REE-bearing carbonates
is described in detail by Grice et al. (1994). In adamsite-
(Y), there are thick slabs (Fig. 4) composed of a unit of
Y atoms and parallel “flat-lying” (CO
3
) polyhedra sand-
wiched between layers of Na(H
2
O)
6
polyhedra and per-
pendicular “standing-on-end” (CO
3
) polyhedra (Grice
et al. 1994). These [NaY(CO
3
)] slabs are H-bonded to-
gether, and it is these H-bonds that give rise to the per-
fect {001} cleavage and the relatively unstable nature
of adamsite-(Y).
Adamsite-(Y), NaY(CO
3
)
2
•6H
2
O, and thomas-
clarkite-(Y), NaY(HCO
3
)(OH)
3
•4H
2
O (Grice & Gault
1998), are found intimately associated with one another
at Mont Saint-Hilaire. These two minerals share simi-
larities in chemical composition and crystal structure.
In both minerals, there is a distinctive fundamental unit
that consists of a stacked, edge-sharing unit of three
polyhedra centered by a C, a Y and a Na atom (Fig. 5).
Although the two sets of polyhedra differ in coordina-
tion number (Y polyhedron) and ligands (OH groups
versus H
2
O groups in both the Na and Y polyhedron),
the fundamental building block is essentially the same.
In adamsite-(Y), the Na–Y–C tri-polyhedra form planes
and have a strong cross-linkage in the (001) plane with
the (YO
9
) polyhedra, sharing corners and edges and
being further reinforced by the “flat-lying” carbonate
groups (Fig. 5a). In thomasclarkite-(Y), the Na–Y–C tri-
polyhedra share edges, forming single chains parallel to
[001] (Fig. 5b).
Genesis of adamsite-( Y)
Adamsite-(Y) occurs as a very late-stage, low tem-
perature, hydrothermal phase within cavities in an alka-
line pegmatite dike in the nepheline syenite intrusion.
In these cavities, adamsite-(Y) appears to crystallize
after rhodochrosite and petersenite-(Ce), is contempo-
raneous with horváthite-(Y) and donnayite-(Y), and pre-
cedes thomasclarkite-(Y), which has been observed as
an epitactic growth on adamsite-(Y) (pers. commun., L.
Horváth). This sequence of crystallization is indicative
of lowering carbonate activity and Lewis basicity. Com-
paring the formulae of the minerals involved shows a
decrease in the ratio of carbonate groups relative to the
number of cations plus the other chemical species in-
volved [(H
2
O), (OH), F]. The lowering of Lewis basic-
ity is effected by the distribution of the H atoms. As H
bonds to O, the basicity decreases; for example, typical
Lewis base strengths (valence units) (O’Keeffe &
Navrotsky 1981) are: (CO
3
)
2–
0.22, (HCO
3
)
–
0.17, O
2–
0.50, (OH)
–
0.40, (H
2
O) 0.20. Thus in the transition
from adamsite-(Y) to thomasclarkite-(Y), there is a shift
from a carbonate to a bicarbonate. Grice & Gault (1998)
and Grice (1991) discussed the typical formation of bi-
carbonate minerals at low-temperature, slightly acidic
conditions. Similarly, in this transition, more of the O
atoms become protonated, thus lowering the Lewis base
strength of thomasclarkite-(Y) relative to adamsite-(Y).
1457 38#6-déc.00-2203-13
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1464
ADAMSITE
-(
Y
)
FROM
MONT
SAINT
-
HILAIRE
,
QUEBEC
1465
A
CKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The authors thank Gregory Young and Elizabeth
Moffatt, Canadian Conservation Institute, Ottawa, for
the thermogravimetric and infrared-absorption analyses,
respectively, and Dr. F.C. Hawthorne, University of
Manitoba, for use of the fully automated CCD-equipped
four-circle diffractometer. Dr. Peter Tarassoff gener-
ously provided the specimens that were used in this
study. We also thank László and Elsa Horváth for infor-
mation regarding the occurrence and associated species
of adamsite-(Y), Dr. Andrew McDonald, Laurentian
University, for biographical information on F.D.
Adams, and Dr. Terry Williams, The Natural History
F
IG
. 4.
The adamsite-(Y) structure projected along [010]. Red triangles represent (CO
3
)
polyhedra, the Na atoms are yellow, the Y atoms are orange, and the (H
2
O) groups are
blue. The unit cell is outlined.
F
IG
. 5.
a) The adamsite-(Y) structure projected along [010]
with c vertical. Red triangles represent (CO
3
) polyhedra,
the Na polyhedra are yellow, and the Y polyhedra, orange.
b) The thomasclarkite-(Y) structure projected on [100] with
b vertical. Same color scheme as for adamsite-(Y).
1457 38#6-déc.00-2203-13
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1466
THE
CANADIAN
MINERALOGIST
Museum, London, for providing the photograph of
adamsite-(Y) shown in Figure 1. The manuscript was
improved by the comments and suggestions of two ref-
erees, Drs. Andrew McDonald and Carlo Gramaccioli
and Editor Dr. Robert F. Martin. This research was made
possible by the Canadian Museum of Nature.
R
EFERENCES
A
DAMS
, F.D. (1903): The Monteregian Hills – a Canadian
petrographical province. J. Geol. 11, 239-282.
C
OTTON
, F.A. & W
ILKINSON
, G. (1980): Advanced Inorganic
Chemistry (4
th
ed.). Wiley-Interscience, New York, N.Y.
(497-498).
G
RICE
, J.D. (1991): Bicarbonate minerals: crystal chemistry
and geological significance. Geol. Assoc. Can. – Mineral.
Assoc. Can., Program Abstr. 16, A47.
________ & G
AULT
, R.A. (1998): Thomasclarkite-(Y), a new
sodium – rare-earth-element bicarbonate mineral from
Mont Saint-Hilaire, Quebec. Can. Mineral. 36, 1293-1300.
________, V
AN
V
ELTHUIZEN
, J. & G
AULT
, R.A. (1994):
Petersenite-(Ce), a new mineral from Mont Saint-Hilaire,
and its structural relationship to other REE carbonates. Can.
Mineral. 32, 405-414.
H
ORVÁTH
, L. & G
AULT
, R.A. (1990): The mineralogy of Mont
Saint-Hilaire, Quebec. Mineral. Rec. 21, 284-360.
L
E
P
AGE
, Y. (1987): Computer derivation of the symmetry el-
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M
ANDARINO
, J.A. (1981): The Gladstone–Dale relationship.
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Mineral. 19, 441-450.
M
OCHIZUKI
, A., N
AGASHIMA
, K. & W
AKITA
, H. (1974): The
synthesis of crystalline hydrated double carbonates of rare
earth elements and sodium. Bull. Chem. Soc. Japan 47,
755-756.
O’K
EEFFE
, M. & N
AVROTSKY
, A. (1981): Structure and Bond-
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Received June 12, 2000, revised manuscript accepted Septem-
ber 30, 2000.
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