Palenzonaite

Palenzonaite is a rare vanadate mineral which is a member of the berzeliite group and is related to garnet. It was discovered in 1987 by Andrea Palenzona, Professor of Chemistry at the University of Genoa. He discovered palenzonaite at Molinello mine in Val Graveglia, Liguria Italy.

Palenzonaite is part of a small mineral family (with schaferite, berzeliite, manganberzeliite). The (As,V,P,Si)O₄ tetrahedra in these garnets are isolated, not polymerized chains or sheets. Their mean Z–O distance follows the expected trend with ionic radius (shorter for Si⁴⁺, longer for As⁵⁺/V⁵⁺). Palenzonaite shows up as a rare secondary mineral in Mn-rich, low-grade metamorphic deposits.

See also

• List of minerals recognized by the International Mineralogical Association

References