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Formula: (Ti,Al,Sc,Mg,Zr,Ca)1.8O3
Oxide, titanium-, scandium- and
zirconium- bearing mineral
Crystal System: Orthorhombic
Specific gravity: 3.746 calculated for the empirical formula
Luminescence: Not fluorescent under UV or under the electron beam of a scanning electron microscope
Environments
Although it is fairly recently (in 2010) identified as a "new" mineral, panguite is one of the oldest minerals
in the Solar System. It has been found in the Allende, Murchison, and SaU 290 meteorites, and is most likely
widespread in carbonaceous chondrites. Associated minerals
include titanium-rich davisite,
scandium-titanium-rich
diopside, olivine and
troilite.
The name is for Pan Gu (盤古), a primordial being and creation figure in Chinese mythology and in Taoism. According
to legend, Pangu separated heaven and earth, and his body later became geographic features such as mountains and
flowing water.
The mineral name is in allusion to the ultra-refractory origin of panguite, being among the first solid
materials in the Solar System
(HOM, Wiki).
Localities
The type locality, the Allende meteorite, Pueblito de Allende, Chihuahua, Mexico, is a
carbonaceous chondrite. Panguite was found within
one irregular ultra-refractory inclusion in one polished section prepared from a ∼1 cm diameter Allende fragment. The
host refractory inclusion is about 30 × 20 µm in size in the section plane and resides within an amoeboid olivine
inclusion (AOI), surrounded by a matrix of mostly fine-grained olivine and
troilite. Panguite occurs with
titanium-rich davisite and minor
scandium-titanium-bearing
diopside in the refractory inclusion.
Davisite appears to be the common thread for panguite. This phase
has been observed in two additional inclusions, one from Allende and the other from the
CM chondrite Murchison. In both cases, panguite is
invariably in contact with davisite. Panguite has also been reported
in contact with davisite in a sample from the
CH chondrite SaU 290. Given the occurrence in multiple
meteorites of variable type (CH, CM, CV), it is concluded
that panguite is a rare but widespread constituent of
carbonaceous chondrites and, given the consistent
association with davisite, it is concluded that the origin of
panguite is intimately connected to the origin and evolution of
davisite.
Panguite occurs as irregular to subhedral grains, 500 nm to 1.8 µm in size. In section, panguite is
opaque
(AM 97.7.1219-1225).
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