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Mariakrite

A valid IMA mineral species
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04911690017758616547599.jpg
Mariakrite

Hatrurim Junction, Hatrurim Basin, Tamar Regional Council, Beersheba Subdistrict, Southern District, Israel
04911690017758616547599.jpg
Mariakrite

Hatrurim Junction, Hatrurim Basin, Tamar Regional Council, Beersheba Subdistrict, Southern District, Israel
04911690017758616547599.jpg
Mariakrite

Hatrurim Junction, Hatrurim Basin, Tamar Regional Council, Beersheba Subdistrict, Southern District, Israel
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About MariakriteHide

Formula:
[Ca4Al2(OH)12(H2O)4][Fe2S4]
Colour:
purple-brown
Lustre:
Sub-Metallic
Hardness:
3 - 3½
Specific Gravity:
2.005 (Calculated)
Crystal System:
Triclinic
Name:
Named in honor of Maria Georgievna Krzhizhanovskaya (Мария Георгиевна Кржижановская), born 1973, Russian crystal chemist, for her contributions to the crystal chemistry of inorganic compounds and minerals, including layered double hydroxides.
Bears a rather unique thioferrate unit.

Mariakrite is the first example of dithioferrate in which disulfide chains have no contacts with cations or anions, being suspended between hydroxide layers via the system of hydrogen bonds.


Unique IdentifiersHide

Mindat ID:
55766
Long-form identifier:
mindat:1:1:55766:5

Similar NamesHide

MargariteA valid IMA mineral species - grandfatheredCaAl2(Al2Si2O10)(OH)2

IMA Classification of MariakriteHide

Classification of MariakriteHide

Strunz-mindat (2026):
4.FL.

4 : OXIDES (Hydroxides, V[5,6] vanadates, arsenites, antimonites, bismuthites, sulfites, selenites, tellurites, iodates)
F : Hydroxides (without V or U)
L : Hydroxides with H2O +- (OH); sheets of edge-sharing octahedra

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

Physical Properties of MariakriteHide

Lustre:
Sub-Metallic
Colour:
Purple-brown
Comment:
in transmitted light, it is transparent green-grey
Hardness:
3 - 3½ on Mohs scale
Tenacity:
Flexible
Comment:
flexible, elastic
Density:
2.005 g/cm3 (Calculated)

Optical Data of MariakriteHide

Anisotropism:
very strong
Reflectivity:
WavelengthR1 (%)R2 (%)
470nm5.0%5.2%
546nm6.3%2.3%
589nm6.7%1.8%
659nm6.6%17.6%


Graph shows reflectance levels at different wavelengths (in nm). Peak reflectance is 17.6%.
R1 shown in black, R2 shown in red
Pleochroism:
Strong
Comments:
extreme gray to red-purple

Chemistry of MariakriteHide

Mindat Formula:
[Ca4Al2(OH)12(H2O)4][Fe2S4]
Element Weights:
Element% weight
O35.049 %
Ca21.949 %
S17.561 %
Fe15.292 %
Al7.388 %
H2.760 %

Calculated from ideal end-member formula.
O
Ca
S
Fe
Al
H
Elements listed:
Al, Ca, Fe, H, O, S - search for minerals with similar chemistry

Crystallography of MariakriteHide

Crystal System:
Triclinic
Class (H-M):
1 - Pinacoidal
Space Group:
P1
Cell Parameters:
a = 5.7107(2) Å, b = 9.9952(4) Å, c = 10.9095(4) Å
α = 98.678(3)°, β = 90.100(3)°, γ = 90.019(3)°
Ratio:
a:b:c = 0.571 : 1 : 1.091
Unit Cell V:
615.58 ų (Calculated from Unit Cell)
Z:
1

X-Ray Powder DiffractionHide

Type Occurrence of MariakriteHide

Type Locality:
ⓘ Hatrurim Junction (road no. 31), Hatrurim Basin, Tamar Regional Council, Beersheba Subdistrict, Southern District, Israel
General Appearance of Type Material:
saber-like crystals up to 2 mm long, 0.1 mm wide and 0.5 to 2 μm thick, residing in millimeter-sized cavities
Place of Conservation of Type Material:
collections of the Fersman Mineralogical Museum, Russian Academy of Sciences, Leninskiy Prospekt 18–2, Moscow 119071, Russia, registration number 5694/1
Geological Setting of Type Material:
late hydrothermal assemblages confined to pyrometamorphic lithologies of the Hatrurim Formation
Associated Minerals at Type Locality:
HydrocalumiteKatoiteKuzelitePortlandite
Reference:
Murashko, Mikhail N.; Vapnik, Yevgeny; Vlasenko, Natalia S.; Vereshchagin, Oleg S.; Shelukhina, Yulia S.; Pekov, Igor V.; Britvin, Sergey N. (2025) Mariakrite, [Ca4Al2(OH)12(H2O)4][Fe2S4], a new mineral, the first layered double hydroxide intercalated with dithioferrate (iron disulfide) chains. American Mineralogist, 110 (9). 1488-1497 doi:10.2138/am-2024-9624

Synonyms of MariakriteHide

Other Language Names for MariakriteHide

Relationship of Mariakrite to other SpeciesHide

Member of:
Hydrocalumite Group > Hydrotalcite Supergroup
Other Members of Hydrocalumite Group:
HydrocalumiteCa4Al2(OH)12(Cl,CO3,OH)2 · 4H2OMon. 2/m : P2/b
KuzeliteCa4Al2(OH)12[SO4] · 6H2OTrig.
MampsisiteCa4Al2(CO3)(OH)12 · 5H2OTric. 1 : P1

Related Minerals - Strunz-mindat GroupingHide

4.FL.TrébeurdeniteFe2+2Fe3+4O2(OH)10CO3 · 3H2OTrig. 3m(32/m) : R3m
4.FL.05MuskoxiteMg7Fe4O13 · 10H2OTrig. 3m(32/m)
4.FL.05JamboriteNi2+1-xCo3+x(OH)2-x(SO4)x · nH2OTrig. 3m(32/m) : R3m
4.FL.05MössbaueriteFe3+6O4(OH)8[CO3] · 3H2OTrig. 3
4.FL.05MeixneriteMg6Al2(OH)16(OH)2 · 4H2OTrig. 3m(32/m) : R3m
4.FL.05WoodalliteMg6Cr2(OH)16Cl2 · 4H2OTrig. 3m(32/m) : R3m
4.FL.05FougèriteFe2+4Fe3+2(OH)12[CO3] · 3H2OTrig. 3m(32/m) : R3m
4.FL.05DritsiteLi2Al4(OH)12Cl2 · 3H2OHex. 6/mmm(6/m2/m2/m) : P63/mcm
4.FL.05RotemiteCa4Cr2(OH)12Cl2 · 4H2OTrig. 3m(32/m) : R3c
4.FL.05IowaiteMg6Fe3+2(OH)16Cl2 · 4H2OTrig. 3m(32/m) : R3m
4.FL.10HydrocalumiteCa4Al2(OH)12(Cl,CO3,OH)2 · 4H2OMon. 2/m : P2/b
4.FL.15KuzeliteCa4Al2(OH)12[SO4] · 6H2OTrig.
4.FL.20Jianshuiite(Mg,Mn,Ca)Mn3O7 · 3H2OTrig. 3 : R3
4.FL.20ErnienickeliteNiMn3O7 · 3H2OTrig. 3 : R3
4.FL.20AuroriteMn2+Mn4+3O7 · 3H2OTrig. 3 : R3
4.FL.20ChalcophaniteZnMn4+3O7 · 3H2OTrig. 3 : R3
4.FL.25WoodruffiteZn2+x/2(Mn4+1-xMn3+x)O2 · yH2OMon. 2/m : B2/m
4.FL.30Asbolane(Ni,Co)2-xMn4+(O,OH)4 · nH2OHex.
4.FL.30 va'Lampadite'Cu, Mn, O, H
4.FL.35BuseriteNa4Mn14O27 · 21H2O
4.FL.40Takanelite(Mn,Ca)Mn4O9 · H2OHex.
4.FL.40Ranciéite(Ca,Mn2+)0.2(Mn4+,Mn3+)O2 · 0.6H2OTrig. 3 : P3
4.FL.45Birnessite(Na,Ca)0.5(Mn4+,Mn3+)2O4 · 1.5H2OMon. 2/m : B2/m
4.FL.55CianciulliiteMn(Mg,Mn)2Zn2(OH)10 · 2-4H2OMon. 2/m : B2/m
4.FL.60JenseniteCu3[TeO6] · 2H2OMon. 2/m : P21/m
4.FL.65LeisingiteCu2MgTe6+O6 · 6H2OTrig. 3 : P3
4.FL.70Magnesiohongruiite-(Fe3+)(Mg2Fe3+)Fe3+NbO7(OH)Hex. 6mm : P63mc
4.FL.70AkdalaiteAl10O14(OH)2Hex.
4.FL.75CafetiteCaTi2O5 · H2OMon. 2/m : P21/b
4.FL.80MouriteUMo5O12(OH)10Mon. 2/m : P2/b
4.FL.85DeloryiteCu4(UO2)(MoO4)2(OH)6Mon. 2/m : B2/m
4.FL.90LagalyiteCa2xMn1-xO2 · 1.5-2H2OMon.
4.FL.95'Tunnerite'
4.FL.100CarbocalumiteCa4Al2(OH)12(CO3) · 6H2OTrig. 3m(32/m) : R3c
4.FL.100MampsisiteCa4Al2(CO3)(OH)12 · 5H2OTric. 1 : P1

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 MariakriteHide

References for MariakriteHide

Localities for MariakriteHide

Showing 2 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.
Israel
 
  • Southern District
    • Beersheba Subdistrict
      • Tamar Regional Council
        • Hatrurim Basin
Britvin et al. (2026)
Miyawaki et al. (2022) +1 other reference
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