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Pezzottaite
Current inventory:  3 gems
 

Chemistry:  Cs(Be₂Li)Al₂Si₆O₁₈

Discovered in 2002;   IMA status: Valid (approved in 2003).
Pezzottaite is named after the Italian mineralogist Dr. Federico Pezzotta of the Museo Civico, Milano, Italy. Dr. Pezzotta has played a major role in characterizing the granitic pegmatites of Madagascar and their constituent minerals.

Classification

Mineral Classification:

Silicates

Strunz 8th Ed. ID:

8/EX.00-00  (Unclassified Cyclosilicates)

Nickel-Strunz 10th Ed. ID:

9.CJ.05

9 : SILICATES (Germanates)
C : Cyclosilicates
J : [Si₆O₁₈]₁₂- 6-membered single rings (sechser-Einfachringe), without insular complex anions

Related to:

Beryl Group; the Cesium (Cs) analogue of Beryl

Crystal Data

Crystallography:

Trigonal - Ditrigonal Pyramidal

Crystal Habit:

Hexagonal tabular crystals, small flat to equant crystals

Twinning:

None

Physical Properties

Cleavage:

[001] Imperfect

Fracture:

Irregular, Uneven, Conchoidal

Tenacity:

Brittle

Hardness (Mohs):

8.0

Density:

2.97 (g/cm³)

Luminescence:

None

Radioactivity:

Barely Detectable, GRapi = 212.96 (Gamma Ray American Petroleum Institute Units)

Optical Properties

Color:

Raspberry Red, Pink

Transparency:

Transparent to Translucent

Luster:

Vitreous (glassy)

Refractive Index:

1.601 - 1.620  Uniaxial ( - )

Birefringence:

0.0090 - 0.0110

Dispersion:

0.014 (low)

Pleochroism:

Strong; orange-red to purple-violet

Occurances

Geological Setting:

Pegmatites

Type Locality:

Sakavalana mine, Ambatovita, Mandrosonoro area, Ambatofinandrahana Departement, Ampandramaika-Malakialina Pegmatite Field, Amoron'i Mania Region, Fianarantsoa Province, Madagascar

Common Associations:

n/a

Year Discovered:

2002

View mineral photos:

Pezzottaite Mineral Photos and Locations

More Information

Mindat.org
Webmineral.com

Pezzottaite is a rich, pinkish-red mineral that was discovered in 2002 in Ambatovita, Fianarantsoa Province, Madagascar and was originally thought to be a new discovery of the rare mineral Red Beryl (Bixbite). But it was different from Red Beryl and was then thought to be a new type of Beryl and was called Cesium Beryl for its rich cesium (Cs) content (about 15% cesium). The addition of cesium and lithium to its chemical composition and the fact that Beryl crystallizes hexagonally while Pezzottaite crystallizes trigonally differentiates it from Beryl. Because of these differences, Pezzottaite was recently approved by the IMA as a new mineral species (IMA #2003-022) of the Beryl group of minerals. Pezzottaite is a very rare cesium (Cs) analog of Beryl. It is one of only two minerals that have cesium as an esential part of their chemistry - the other is Pollucite. Pezzottaite is typically moderately to heavily included and is also available as a catseye.

Pezzottaite has recently been offered on the market by some sellers as Bixbite. Pezzottaite does resemble Bixbite in color and some mineral characteristics, and it is a member of the Beryl group of minerals, but it is not Bixbite. Pezzottaite has only been found in Ambatovita, Madagascar. The Wah Wah Mountains of Utah, USA is still the only location in the world to find gem quality Bixbite.
 

  
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