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Formula: SrFe2+(Ti4+12Cr3+6)Mg2[O36(OH)2]
Oxide, crichtonite group,
titanium- and strontium-
bearing mineral
Crystal System: Trigonal
Specific gravity: 4.3582 calculated
Colour: Jet-black
Environments
Plutonic igneous environments
Derived from the Upper Mantle
botuobinskite is a new mineral, approved in 2020 and to date (August 2023) reported only from the type
locality.
Localities
At the type locality, the Internatsionalny mine, Mirny, Mirninsky District, Sakha, Russia, botuobinskite and
mirnyite occur as inclusions in mantle-derived
chromium - pyrope xenocrysts
from the kimberlite pipe. Botuobinskite forms needle- and
blade- like acicular crystals up to 1 mm in length and up to 30 μm in diameter, a large platy inclusion (700 × 700
× 80 μm3) and roughly isometric grains (up to 80 μm across). Both minerals are jet-black, opaque and
exhibit a metallic lustre; they commonly occur in intimate association with
chromium - pyrope, as well as
other peridotitic minerals and exert an important control on the
partitioning of incompatible elements during mantle metasomatism
(MM 87.433-442).
Associated minerals include rutile,
pyrope, picroilmenite,
magnesiochromite and
chromite
(Mindat).
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