European Journal Publishes Three New Mineral Species

The latest issue of the European Journal of Mineralogy reports three new mineral species and related research.

Exsolution‑texture study in Fe–Ti oxides – Thomas Daniel van Gerve et al. describe how exsolution textures influence crushing strategies and pre‑concentration of vanadium and titanium in ores from the Bushveld Complex. Some textures tightly intergrow minerals and hinder separation; others form coarser structures that improve processing by magnetic and flotation methods. Identifying these textures is essential for optimizing ore processing and resource use.¹

Belmonteite (CaMn₂(AsO₄)₂(H₂O)₅·2H₂O) – Cristian Biagioni, Jiří Sejkora, and Zdeněk Dolníček report this new arsenate mineral discovered in the Mn ore deposits of Graveglia Valley, eastern Liguria, Italy. Its crystal structure shows {010} layers of six‑fold‑coordinated Mn atoms decorated on both sides by (AsO₄) groups and Ca atoms connected through H bonds. The name honors Donato Belmonte for his contribution to Ligurian mineralogy.¹

Fengruiite – Yongfei Tian et al. present a silver‑rich sulfosalt found at the Haopinggou Ag–Pb–Zn–Au deposit in eastern Qinling, China. Microscopy, chemical analysis, and crystal‑structure tests confirm it as a new species with a unique tellurium‑rich structure. Tellurium helped trap and concentrate silver in hot mineral‑forming fluids, offering clues to how silver‑rich deposits form.¹