Outstanding sharp green crystals of the mineral dellagiustaite (IMA 2017-101) approved in 2018, from the type locality in Argentina (Sierra de Comechingones, San Luis Province, Argentina) and only one of the two known localities worldwide. Dellagiustaite is a vanadium mineral. It is said that this material contains native vanadium. Associated minerals are grossite and hibonite. — Photo: David Hospital · CC BY-SA 4.0
Dellagiustaite
Dellagiustaite is an IMA-recognized mineral species in the oxides & hydroxide class, with the chemical formula V²⁺Al₂O₄.
It crystallizes in the cubic crystal system (space group Fd-3m). It is a member of the Spinel structural group.
Key properties: Mohs hardness 6.5–7; specific gravity 4.6; Black streak; Metallic luster.
IMA symbol Dgt, IMA status: approved, named in 2018.
It is found associated with Hibonite (containing tubular inclusions to 100 μm of metallic vanadium), grossite, gehlenite, aluminum-rich perovskite (Argentina); V-rich hibonite, grossite.
The mineral was named to honor Professor Antonio Della Giusta (b. 1941), University of Padova, Italy, an expert on the crystal chemistry and cation order-disorder phenomena in spinel group minerals.