WorldWide Drilling Resource

18 JANUARY 2017 WorldWide Drilling Resource ® New Mineral Discovered Adapted from a News Release by Michigan Technological University According to the International Mineralogical Association, there are 5179 official min- erals. The Association’s Commission on New Minerals, Nomenclature and Classification receives more than 80 proposals each year for new minerals. However, many turn out to be variations of existing minerals, so rigorous testing is used to determine the chemistry and crystal structure of the samples. John Jaszczak, a professor of physics, was examining a mineral sample in the basement of Fisher Hall at Michigan Tech. As he studied the specimen, sent to him by the Smithsonian Institute’s National Museum of Natural History, he knew something was very unusual about the sample. Acting on a gut feeling, he decided to look into it further. Using Raman spectrometry and scanning electron microscopy, he noticed tiny whiskers which were a layered structure rich in molybdenum, lead, and sulfur which he felt could be a new mineral. Jaszczak pulled together a team to prove his theory, and he was right! The tiny, silvery, cylindrical whiskers were indeed a new mineral - merelaniite. On large crystals, these tiny whiskers, which look like hairs to the naked eye, have probably been cleaned off the host rocks of more recognizable minerals from the famous gem mines near Merelani in Tanzania. "Minerals have a natural wow factor, and while we use many of them daily without thinking twice, some specimens are truly art," Jaszczak said, adding minerals like tanzanite and tsa- vorite, which come from the same mines as merelaniite, can be more eye-catching, but it doesn't diminish the value of less showy minerals. "The Merelani district has been famous since the late 1960s for the blue gem variety of zoisite known as tanzanite, but this is really a mineral collector's paradise and an exciting place to look for new minerals," said Jaszczak, who has coauthored three other papers on the district’s minerals. "The importance of the area is the reason we wanted to give tribute to the miners and name merelaniite for the district." Although Raman spectroscopy gave Jaszczak hard evidence the mineral may be new, more work needed to be done. Since merelaniite is composed of two different kinds of layers at the atomic scale, and because they curve to form cylinders with a scroll-like structure, it was particularly difficult to determine the fundamental crystallo- graphic parameters. The chemistry of the new mineral was also a challenge to deter- mine with precision. For both of these challenges, Jaszczak needed additional help. So he teamed up with Mike Rumsey and John Spratt at the Natural History Museum in London to determine the chemical composition of the new mineral with precision. To understand the crystal structure, Steve Hackney, professor of materials science at Michigan Tech, was able to provide crucial high-resolution images and diffraction patterns using transmission electron microscopy on ultrathin samples prepared with a diamond knife by Owen Mills, director of Michigan Tech’s Applied Chemical & Morphological Analysis Laboratory. The team decided to consult with a professor at the Università di Firenze in Italy, Luca Bindi, who is also an expert in solving complicated crystals structures. He helped run x-ray diffraction studies and the results revealed a complex structure made up of layers of molybdenum disulfide alternating at the atomic scale with layers of lead sulfide, along with other elements, including vanadium, antimony, bismuth, and selenium. Although you aren’t likely to see merelaniite in jewelry, it is appealing with its intricate, microscopic internal beauty. Additional studies on the crystal chemistry of this exotic mineral may eventually lead to useful applications. Editor’s Note: In between our print issues, the WWDR Teamprepares an electronic newsletter called E-News Flash . Based on readership, this was the most popular E-News Flash article of the month. Get in on the action and subscribe today at: www.worldwidedrillingresource.com Thank you for publishing the report on merelaniite in your E-News Flash . Sincerely, John Jaszczak Michigan Technological Univeristy CGA 2016 Dealmakers Wes and Ellis (2nd and 4th) with Powell Drilling of Paso Robles, California, were pleased to show the new GEFCO 30K at the California Groundwater Association event. Charl ie and Jon with GEFCO / Astec Industries of Enid, Oklahoma, stand with them. GEFCO, Inc. Send your deals to: promotions@ worldwidedrillingresource.com