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Bridgmanite

A valid IMA mineral species
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06590980017272028768380.jpg
Bridgmanite

Tenham meteorite, Tenham Station, Windorah, Barcoo Shire, Queensland, Australia
06590980017272028768380.jpg
Bridgmanite

Tenham meteorite, Tenham Station, Windorah, Barcoo Shire, Queensland, Australia
06590980017272028768380.jpg
Bridgmanite

Tenham meteorite, Tenham Station, Windorah, Barcoo Shire, Queensland, Australia
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About BridgmaniteHide

09471860017272472416058.jpg
Percy Williams Bridgman
Formula:
MgSiO3
Crystal System:
Orthorhombic
Name:
Named in 2014 by Chi Ma and Oliver Tschauner in honor of Percy Williams Bridgman [April 21, 1882 Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA - August 20, 1961 Randolph, New Hampshire, USA], winner of the Nobel Prize for Physics in 1946 for his work in high-pressure physics.
Perovskite-type high-pressure phase. The Mg analogue of hiroseite.

This mineral is believed to compose up to 93% of the lower mantle above around 2700km and therefore is probably the most abundant mineral in the Earth.

It was experimentally proven that bridgmanite may incorporate Na, but not as readily as ringwoodite (Bindi et al., 2016).

Compare UM2011-20-SiO:AlFeMg, which is "intermediate" between olivine group and enstatite and also incorporates Na.

One of six minerals proposed to be essential for life emergence (Russell & Ponce, 2020).


Unique IdentifiersHide

Mindat ID:
45900
Long-form identifier:
mindat:1:1:45900:8

IMA Classification of BridgmaniteHide

IMA status:
Approved
Approval year:
2014

Classification of BridgmaniteHide

Strunz-mindat (2026):
9.H0.

9 : SILICATES (Germanates)
H : Unclassified silicates
0 :

Mineral SymbolsHide

As of 2021 there are now IMA–CNMNC approved mineral symbols (abbreviations) for each mineral species, useful for tables and diagrams.

SymbolSourceReference for Standard
BdmIMA–CNMNCWarr, L.N. (2021). IMA–CNMNC approved mineral symbols. Mineralogical Magazine, 85(3), 291-320. doi:10.1180/mgm.2021.43

Chemistry of BridgmaniteHide

Mindat Formula:
MgSiO3
Element Weights:
Element% weight
O47.812 %
Si27.977 %
Mg24.211 %

Calculated from ideal end-member formula.
O
Si
Mg
Elements listed:
Mg, O, Si - search for minerals with similar chemistry

Crystallography of BridgmaniteHide

Crystal System:
Orthorhombic
Class (H-M):
mmm(2/m2/m2/m) - Dipyramidal
Space Group:
Pnma
Setting:
Pnma
Cell Parameters:
a = 5.02(3) Å, b = 6.90(3) Å, c = 4.81(2) Å
Ratio:
a:b:c = 0.728 : 1 : 0.697
Unit Cell V:
166.61 ų (Calculated from Unit Cell)

Crystal StructureHide

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IDSpeciesReferenceLinkYearLocalityPressure (GPa)Temp (K)
0007339BridgmaniteYagi T, Mao H K, Bell P M (1978) Structure and crystal chemistry of perovskite-type MgSiO3 Physics and Chemistry of Minerals 3 97-1101978synthetic0298
0020220BridgmaniteTschauner O, Ma C, Beckett J R, Prescher C, Prakapenka V B, Rossman G R (2014) Discovery of bridgmanite, the most abundant mineral in Earth, in a shocked meteorite Science 346 1100-11022014Tenham L6 Chondrite;0293
0020143BridgmaniteBindi L, Sirotkina E A, Bobrov A V, Irifune T (2014) Chromium solubility in perovskite at high pressure: The structure of (Mg1-xCrx)(Si1-xCrx)O3 (with x = 0.07) synthesized at 23 GPa and 1600 C American Mineralogist 99 866-8692014synthetic0293
0009081BridgmaniteKojitani H, Katsura T, Akaogi M (2007) Aluminum substitution mechanisms in perovskite-type MgSiO3: an investigation by Rietveld analysis Physics and Chemistry of Minerals 34 257-2672007synthetic0293
0009080BridgmaniteKojitani H, Katsura T, Akaogi M (2007) Aluminum substitution mechanisms in perovskite-type MgSiO3: an investigation by Rietveld analysis Physics and Chemistry of Minerals 34 257-2672007synthetic0293
0009079BridgmaniteKojitani H, Katsura T, Akaogi M (2007) Aluminum substitution mechanisms in perovskite-type MgSiO3: an investigation by Rietveld analysis Physics and Chemistry of Minerals 34 257-2672007synthetic0293
0009078BridgmaniteKojitani H, Katsura T, Akaogi M (2007) Aluminum substitution mechanisms in perovskite-type MgSiO3: an investigation by Rietveld analysis Physics and Chemistry of Minerals 34 257-2672007synthetic0293
0004129BridgmaniteSugahara M, Yoshiasa A, Komatsu Y, Yamanaka T, Bolfan-Casanova N, Nakastuka A, Sasaki S, Tanaka M (2006) Reinvestigation of the MgSiO3 perovskite structure at high pressure American Mineralogist 91 533-5362006synthetic0.0001293
0003546BridgmaniteDobson D P, Jacobsen S D (2004) The flux growth of magnesium silicate perovskite single crystals American Mineralogist 89 807-8112004synthetic0293
0002091BridgmaniteJephcoat A P, Hriljac J A, McCammon C A, O'Neill H St C, Rubie D C, Finger L W (1999) High-resolution synchrotron X-ray powder diffraction and Rietveld structure refinement of two (Mg.95,Fe.05)SiO3 perovskite samples synthesized under different oxygen fugacity conditions Sample PV-B American Mineralogist 84 214-2201999synthetic0293
0002090BridgmaniteJephcoat A P, Hriljac J A, McCammon C A, O'Neill H St C, Rubie D C, Finger L W (1999) High-resolution synchrotron X-ray powder diffraction and Rietveld structure refinement of two (Mg.95,Fe.05)SiO3 perovskite samples synthesized under different oxygen fugacity conditions Sample PV-A American Mineralogist 84 214-2201999synthetic0293
0007452BridgmaniteRoss N L, Hazen R M (1989) Single crystal X-ray diffraction study of MgSiO3 perovskite from 77 to 400 K Physics and Chemistry of Minerals 16 415-4201989synthetic0293
0007451BridgmaniteRoss N L, Hazen R M (1989) Single crystal X-ray diffraction study of MgSiO3 perovskite from 77 to 400 K Physics and Chemistry of Minerals 16 415-4201989synthetic0293
0001071BridgmaniteHoriuchi H, Ito E, Weidner D J (1987) Perovskite-type MgSiO3: Single-crystal X-ray diffraction study American Mineralogist 72 357-3601987synthetic0293
0007485BridgmaniteRoss N L, Hazen R M (1990) High-pressure crystal chemistry of MgSiO3 perovskite Physics and Chemistry of Minerals 17 228-2371990synthetic2.2293
0007486BridgmaniteRoss N L, Hazen R M (1990) High-pressure crystal chemistry of MgSiO3 perovskite Physics and Chemistry of Minerals 17 228-2371990synthetic5293
0007487BridgmaniteRoss N L, Hazen R M (1990) High-pressure crystal chemistry of MgSiO3 perovskite Physics and Chemistry of Minerals 17 228-2371990synthetic7.5293
0004130BridgmaniteSugahara M, Yoshiasa A, Komatsu Y, Yamanaka T, Bolfan-Casanova N, Nakastuka A, Sasaki S, Tanaka M (2006) Reinvestigation of the MgSiO3 perovskite structure at high pressure American Mineralogist 91 533-5362006synthetic7.8293
0004131BridgmaniteSugahara M, Yoshiasa A, Komatsu Y, Yamanaka T, Bolfan-Casanova N, Nakastuka A, Sasaki S, Tanaka M (2006) Reinvestigation of the MgSiO3 perovskite structure at high pressure American Mineralogist 91 533-5362006synthetic10293
0007488BridgmaniteRoss N L, Hazen R M (1990) High-pressure crystal chemistry of MgSiO3 perovskite Physics and Chemistry of Minerals 17 228-2371990synthetic10.6293
0004132BridgmaniteSugahara M, Yoshiasa A, Komatsu Y, Yamanaka T, Bolfan-Casanova N, Nakastuka A, Sasaki S, Tanaka M (2006) Reinvestigation of the MgSiO3 perovskite structure at high pressure American Mineralogist 91 533-5362006synthetic15293
CIF Raw Data - click here to close

X-Ray Powder DiffractionHide

Powder Diffraction Data:
d-spacingIntensity
2.456 Å(100)
2.175 Å(34)
2.081 Å(37)
2.075 Å(34)
1.924 Å(37)
1.743 Å(52)
1.444 Å(41)
1.400 Å(76)

Geological EnvironmentHide

Paragenetic Mode(s):
Paragenetic ModeEarliest Age (Ga)
Stage 2: Planetesimal differentiation and alteration4.566-4.550
6 : Secondary asteroid phases4.566-4.560
Stage 5: Initiation of plate tectonics<3.5-2.5
39 : High-𝑃 metamorphism (blueschist, eclogite, ultrahigh 𝑃 facies)
Geological Setting:
Major constituent of the lower mantle

Type Occurrence of BridgmaniteHide

Type Locality:
ⓘ Tenham meteorite, Tenham Station, Windorah, Barcoo Shire, Queensland, Australia
Place of Conservation of Type Material:
In the collections of the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of Natural History, Washington DC, USA,registration number USNM 7703
Geological Setting of Type Material:
As submicrometer-sized crystals in shock-induced melt veins in the Tenham meteorite.

Synonyms of BridgmaniteHide

Other Language Names for BridgmaniteHide

Relationship of Bridgmanite to other SpeciesHide

Member of:
Bridgmanite Subgroup > Stoichiometric Perovskites Group > Perovskite Supergroup
Other Members of Bridgmanite Subgroup:
DavemaoiteCaSiO3Iso. m3m(4/m32/m) : Pm3m

Common AssociatesHide

Associations Based on Photo Data:
1 photo of Bridgmanite associated with Ringwoodite(Mg,Fe2+)2SiO4
1 photo of Bridgmanite associated with AkimotoiteMgSiO3
1 photo of Bridgmanite associated with MajoriteMg3(MgSi)(SiO4)3

Related Minerals - Strunz-mindat GroupingHide

9.H0.AklimaiteCa4[Si2O5(OH)2](OH)4 · 5H2O Mon. 2/m : B2/m
9.H0.DavemaoiteCaSiO3Iso. m3m(4/m32/m) : Pm3m

Other InformationHide

Health Risks:
No information on health risks for this material has been entered into the database. You should always treat mineral specimens with care.

Internet Links for BridgmaniteHide

References for BridgmaniteHide

Reference List:
Fu, S., Chariton, S., Zhang, Y., Okuchi, T., Prakapenka, V.B., Lin, J.-Fu (2023): Single-Crystal X-ray Diffraction on the Structure of (Al,Fe)-bearing Bridgmanite in the Lower Mantle. American Mineralogist, 108, (in press).
Stebbins, J. F.; Du, Lin-Shu; Kelsey, Kimberly; Kojitani, Hiroshi; Akaogi, Misaki; Ono, Shigeaki (2006) Aluminum substitution in stishovite and MgSiO3 perovskite: High-resolution 27Al NMR. American Mineralogist, 91 (2). p.337-343. doi:10.2138/am.2006.1988
[1]Murakami, Motohiko, Ohishi, Yasuo, Hirao, Naohisa, Hirose, Kei (2012) A perovskitic lower mantle inferred from high-pressure, high-temperature sound velocity data. Nature, 485 (7396). 90-94 doi:10.1038/nature11004
Ma, C., Tschauner, O. (2014) Earth-building Bridgemanite, Caltech Press release, Katie Neith, http://www.caltech.edu/content/earth-building-bridgmanite.
Williams, P. A., Hatert, F., Pasero, M., Mills, S. J. (2014) New minerals and nomenclature modifications approved in 2014, CNMNC Newsletter No 21. Mineralogical Magazine, 78 (4) 797-804 doi:10.1180/minmag.2014.078.4.03
Tschauner, Oliver, Ma, Chi, Beckett, John R., Prescher, Clemens, Prakapenka, Vitali B., Rossman, George R. (2014) Discovery of bridgmanite, the most abundant mineral in Earth, in a shocked meteorite. Science, 346 (6213). 1100-1102 doi:10.1126/science.1259369
Bindi, Luca, Tamarova, Anastasia, Bobrov, Andrey V., Sirotkina, Ekaterina A., Tschauner, Oliver, Walter, Michael J., Irifune, Tetsuo (2016) Incorporation of high amounts of Na in ringwoodite: Possible implications for transport of alkali into lower mantle. American Mineralogist, 101 (2) 483-486 doi:10.2138/am-2016-5570
Miyahara, Masaaki, Ohtani, Eiji, El Goresy, Ahmed, Ozawa, Shin, Gillet, Philippe (2016) Phase transition processes of olivine in the shocked Martian meteorite Tissint: Clues to origin of ringwoodite-, bridgmanite- and magnesiowüstite-bearing assemblages. Physics of the Earth and Planetary Interiors, 259. 18-28 doi:10.1016/j.pepi.2016.08.006
Kulka, Britany L., Dolinschi, Jonathan D., Leinenweber, Kurt D., Prakapenka, Vitali B., Shim, Sang-Heon (2020) The Bridgmanite–Akimotoite–Majorite Triple Point Determined in Large Volume Press and Laser-Heated Diamond Anvil Cell. Minerals, 10 (1) 67 doi:10.3390/min10010067
Dorfman, S.M., Vasily Potapkin, Mingda Lv, Eran Greenberg, Ilya Kupenko, Aleksandr I. Chumakov, Wenli Bi, E. Ercan Alp, Jiachao Liu, Arnaud Magrez, Siân E. Dutton, Robert J. Cava, Catherine A. McCammon, Philippe Gillet (2020) Effects of composition and pressure on electronic states of iron in bridgmanite. American Mineralogist: 105: 1030–1039.
Bindi, Luca; Shim, Sang-Heon; Sharp, Thomas G.; Xie, Xiande (2020) Evidence for the charge disproportionation of iron in extraterrestrial bridgmanite. Science Advances, 6 (2). p.aay7893. doi:10.1126/sciadv.aay7893
Russell, Michael, Ponce, Adrian (2020) Six ‘Must-Have’ Minerals for Life’s Emergence: Olivine, Pyrrhotite, Bridgmanite, Serpentine, Fougerite and Mackinawite. Life, 10 (11) 291 doi:10.3390/life10110291
Ghosh, S., Tiwari, K., Miyahara, M., Rohrbach, A., Vollmer, C., Stagno, V., Ohtani, E., Ray, D. (2021) Natural Fe-bearing aluminous bridgmanite in the Katol L6 chondrite. PNAS: 118(40): e2108736118.
(2022) Bridgmanite. Handbook of Mineralogy. Mineralogical Society of America
Bobrov, Andrey V., Tamarova, Anastasiya P., Bindi, Luca, Matrosova, Ekaterina A., Bendeliani, Aleksandra A., Kogarko, Lia N., Irifune, Tetsuo (2023) Na-bearing bridgmanite: Synthesis, phase relations and application to the origin of alkaline melts in the in the uppermost lower mantle. Lithos, 444. 107101 doi:10.1016/j.lithos.2023.107101

Localities for BridgmaniteHide

Showing 6 localities.

This map shows a selection of localities that have latitude and longitude coordinates recorded. Click on the symbol to view information about a locality. The symbol next to localities in the list can be used to jump to that position on the map.
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Locality ListHide

- This locality has map coordinates listed. - This locality has estimated coordinates. ⓘ - Click for references and further information on this occurrence. ? - Indicates mineral may be doubtful at this locality. - Good crystals or important locality for species. - World class for species or very significant. (TL) - Type Locality for a valid mineral species. (FRL) - First Recorded Locality for everything else (eg varieties). Struck out - Mineral was erroneously reported from this locality. Faded * - Never found at this locality but inferred to have existed at some point in the past (e.g. from pseudomorphs).

All localities listed without proper references should be considered as questionable.
Australia (TL)
 
  • Queensland
    • Barcoo Shire
      • Windorah
        • Tenham Station
Tomioka et al. (1997) +3 other references
Brazil
 
  • Mato Grosso
    • Juína
Kaminsky et al. (2022) +1 other reference
India
 
  • Maharashtra
    • Nagpur Division
Ghosh et al. (2021)
Morocco
 
  • Souss-Massa Region
    • Tata Province
      • Tata Cercle
Miyahara et al. (2016)
Northwest Africa Meteorites
 
Gu et al. (2025)
South Africa
 
  • Free State
    • Xhariep District Municipality
      • Letsemeng Local Municipality
        • Koffiefontein
Meyer (2021)
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