Crystal structure, EMPA and FTIR spectroscopy of green yoderite, (Mg2.02Al5.68Fe3+0.35)Σ8.05 (Si3.93 P5+0.03)Σ3.96O18(OH)2, from Mautia Hill, Tanzania

Green yoderite, with the ideal crystal-chemical formula [6](MgAl3)[5](MgAl)[5](Al2) O2(SiO4)4(OH)2, from the type locality, Mautia Hill, Tanzania, has been characterized by accurate X-ray diffraction data and crystal-structure refinement at ambient conditions, electron microprobe analysis and FTIR spectroscopy. Yoderite is monoclinic with a=7.9979 (3), b=5.8003 (2), c=7.2299 (2), β=104.7398 (9) Å, V=324.36 (2) Å3 space group P21/n (no. 14), Z=1. Crystal-structure refinement with all non-H atoms refined anisotropically converged to an R1 value of 2.50% based on all 2089 unique reflections and 94 refined parameters. Chains of edge-sharing A(1)O5(OH) octahedra extend in the b direction and the A(1) site is occupied by 0.75 Al+0.25 Mg. These chains are linked by isolated SiO4 tetrahedra and by two independent trigonal bipyramids A(2) O4(OH) and A(3)O5, where the A(2) site is occupied by 0.50 Al+0.50 Mg and the A(3) site by 0.94 Al+0.06 Fe3+. The hydrogen-bond scheme is established on the basis of the H-atom position observed in the final ΔF map and refined without restraint. Fitting of the FTIR spectrum in the principal (OH)-stretching region shows that A(2)Al and A(2)Mg are preferentially associated with certain A(1)(AlAl), A(1)(AlMg) and A(1)(MgMg) dimers. Comparison of the band positions, observed intensities and associated local short-range arrangements suggests that the bond valence requirements of such arrangements control the chemical composition of the crystal.