Tuperssuatsiaite Locality: Aris Quarries (Ariskop Quarry; Railway Quarry), Aris , Windhoek , Windhoek District, Khomas Region , Namibia ( Locality at mindat.org ) Field of view 5 mm. Depth of field is achieved with CombineZM. Specimen and photo Leon Hupperichs. — Photo: Leon Hupperichs · CC BY-SA 3.0
Tuperssuatsiaite
A rare sodium-iron clay phyllosilicate from Greenland, Namibia and Brazil.
Intro adapted from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA).
Tuperssuatsiaite is an IMA-recognized mineral species in the silicate class, with the chemical formula Na₂(Fe³⁺,Mn²⁺)₃Si₈O₂₀(OH)₂·4H₂O.
It crystallizes in the monoclinic crystal system (space group C2/m). It is a member of the Palygorskite structural group.
Key properties: specific gravity 2.28; Vitreous to nearly metallic, dull in aggregate luster; refractive index 1.565; optically biaxial.
IMA symbol Tup, IMA status: approved, named in 1984.
A late-stage, low-temperature, hydrothermal mineral in veins cutting nepheline syenite and in sodalite-nepheline syenite pegmatite (Tuperssuatsiait Bay, Greenland); in miarolitic cavities in phonolite (Windhoek, Namibia).
It is found associated with Natrolite, albite, orthoclase, aegirine, sodalite, steenstrupine (Tuperssuatsiait Bay, Greenland); microcline, aegirine, natrolite, eudialyte, bastnÄa site.
The name refers to Tuperssuatsiait Bay, Greenland.