New Minerals from Inclusions in Corundum Xenocrysts from Mt. Carmel, Israel: Magnéliite, Ziroite, Sassite, Mizraite-(Ce) and Yeite

Our nanomineralogical investigation of melt inclusions in corundum xenocrysts from the Mt. Carmel area, Israel has revealed seven IMA-approved new minerals since 2021. We report here four new oxide minerals and one new alloy mineral. Magneliite (Ti23+Ti24+O7; IMA 2021-111) occurs as subhedral crystals, similar to 4 mu m in size, with alabandite, zirconolite, Ti,Al,Zr-oxide, and hibonite in corundum Grain 767-1. Magneliite has an empirical formula (Ti1.663+Al0.13Ti0.154+Mg0.10Ca0.01Sc0.01)(Sigma 2.06) (Ti1.934+Zr0.08)(Sigma 2.01)O-7 and the triclinic P (1) over bar Ti4O7-type structure with the cell parameters: a = 5.60(1) angstrom, b = 7.13(1) angstrom, c = 12.47(1) angstrom, alpha = 95.1(1)degrees, beta = 95.2(1)degrees, gamma = 108.7(1)degrees, V = 466(2) angstrom(3), Z = 4. Ziroite (ZrO2; IMA 2022-013) occurs as irregular crystals, similar to 1-4 mu m in size, with baddeleyite, hibonite, and Ti,Al,Zr-oxide in corundum Grain 479-1a. Ziroite has an empirical formula (Zr0.72Ti0.264+Mg0.02Al0.02Hf0.01)(Sigma 1.03)O-2 and the tetragonal P4(2)/nmc zirconia(HT)-type structure with the cell parameters: a = 3.60(1) angstrom, c = 5.18(1) angstrom, V = 67.1(3) angstrom(3), Z = 2. Sassite (Ti23+Ti4+O5; IMA 2022-014) occurs as subhedral-euhedral crystals, similar to 4-16 mu m in size, with Ti,Al,Zr-oxide, mullite, osbornite, baddeleyite, alabandite, and glass in corundum Grain 1125C1. Sassite has an empirical formula (Ti1.353+Al0.49Ti0.084+Mg0.07)(Sigma 1.99)(Ti0.934+Zr0.06Si0.01)(Sigma 1.00)O-5 and the orthorhombic Cmcm pseudobrookite-type structure with the cell parameters: a = 3.80(1) angstrom, b = 9.85(1) angstrom, c = 9.99(1) angstrom, V = 374(1) angstrom(3), Z = 4. Mizraite-(Ce) (Ce(Al11Mg)O-19; IMA 2022-027) occurs as euhedral crystals, <1-14 mu m in size, with Ce-silicate, Ti-sulfide, Ti,Al,Zr-oxide, ziroite, and thorianite in corundum Grain 198-8. Mizraite-(Ce) has an empirical formula (Ce0.76Ca0.10La0.07Nd0.01)(Sigma 0.94)(Al10.43Mg0.84Ti0.603+Si0.09Zr0.04)(Sigma 12.00)O-19 and the hexagonal P6(3)/mmc magnetoplumbite-type structure with the cell parameters: a = 5.61(1) angstrom, c = 22.29(1) angstrom, V = 608(2) angstrom(3), Z = 2. Yeite (TiSi; IMA 2022-079) occurs as irregular-subhedral crystals, 1.2-3.5 mu m in size, along with wenjiite (Ti5Si3) and zhiqinite (TiSi2) in Ti-Si alloy inclusions in corundum Grain 198c. Yeite has an empirical formula (Ti0.995Mn0.003V0.001Cr0.001)(Si0.996P0.004) and the orthorhombic Pnma FeB-type structure with the cell parameters: a = 6.55(1) angstrom, b = 3.64(1) angstrom, c = 4.99(1) angstrom, V = 119.0(4) angstrom(3), Z = 4. The five minerals are high-temperature oxide or alloy phases, formed in melt pockets in corundum xenocrysts derived from the upper mantle beneath Mt. Carmel.