Belmonteite Discovered in Liguria, Europe Journal Reports New Findings

The latest issue of the European Journal of Mineralogy presents three distinct pieces of research. First, Mahmoud Alkhatib, Nabil Thabteh, Fuad Al‑Rimawi, and Mutaz Qutob describe how Attenuated Total Reflection Fourier Transform Infrared (ATR‑FTIR) spectroscopy was applied to synthetic mixtures of aragonite-group carbonates. The technique required no sample preparation and produced calibration curves that allow quantitative measurement of strontianite and witherite within those mixtures by using absorbance ratios between peaks, thereby reducing variability from measurement conditions. This offers a rapid alternative to X‑ray diffraction for analyzing these minerals.¹

Second, Thomas Daniel van Gerve, Philippe Muchez, Ted Nuorivaara, and Olivier Namür investigate exsolution textures in Fe–Ti oxide minerals derived from vanadium ores of the Bushveld Complex. Their study shows that microscopic mineral textures can either hinder or enhance separation during crushing strategies, affecting both vanadium and titanium pre‑concentration processes. Identifying such textures is essential for optimizing ore processing and resource use.¹

Third, Cristian Biagioni, Jiří Sejkora, and Zdeněk Dolníček report the discovery of a new arsenate mineral, Belmonteite, CaMn₂(AsO₄)₂(H₂O)₅·2H₂O, found in the manganese ore deposits of the Graveglia Valley in eastern Liguria, Italy. Its crystal structure features {010} layers of six‑fold coordinated Mn atoms decorated on both sides by (AsO₄) groups and Ca atoms, connected through hydrogen bonds. The genesis relates to circulation of As‑rich oxidizing fluids within the deposit, and the name honors Donato Belmonte for his contributions to Ligurian mineralogy.¹

Expert notes add context about ATR: it is an advanced technique used to analyze molecular structures without any sample preparation. Light reflects off the material’s surface at different angles, allowing scientists to study vibrations of molecules inside the material. This method has been widely applied across chemistry, physics, and geology, providing more accurate results when absorbance ratios between peaks are employed.