:A STEM image of shocked ankerite shows tiny crystallites of maohokite (Mhk) and magnesioferrite (Mfr) embedded in calcite (Cal)." Photo and caption are from Chen, M., Shu, J., Xie, X., & Tan, D. (2018) Maohokite, a post‐spinel polymorph of MgFe2O4 in shocked gneiss from the Xiuyan crater in China. Meteoritics & Planetary Science: 2018: 1-8. https://doi.org/10.1111/maps.13222 It is an open access article under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. — Photo: Chen, M., Shu, J., Xie, X., & Tan, D. · CC BY 4.0
Maohokite
Maohokite is an IMA-recognized mineral species in the oxides & hydroxide class, with the chemical formula MgFe₂O₄.
It crystallizes in the orthorhombic crystal system (space group Pnma). It is a member of the Post-spinel structural group.
Key properties: specific gravity 5.33.
IMA symbol Mhk, IMA status: approved, named in 2017.
Formed from subsolidus decomposition of Fe-Mg carbonate via a self-oxidation- reduction reaction at impact pressure and temperature of 25-45 GPa and 800-900 flC.
It is found associated with Reidite, TiO2-II (srilankite), diaplectic quartz and feldspar glasses, shocked ankerite decomposed into a mixture of magnesioferrite, maohokite, calcite.
The mineral was named to honor Hokwang Mao (b. 1941) Geophysical Laboratory, Carnegie Institution of Washington, USA, for his contributions to high pressure research.