Discovery of a unique cave in Spain – Part 2

This article is a continuance of ‘Discovery of a unique cave in Spain – Part 1’.

The zaccagnaita was discovered in 2001 in Carrara (Italy) and the authors who described the mineral species only managed a few crystals of microscopic size as the mineral is extremely rare. This mineral is not like the cave of El Soplao, the Carrara is zaccagnaita-2H
and the cave is zaccagnaita-3R.

The zaccaganita-2H is only found in Carrara (Italy) and perhaps also in St. Constantine (Greece), although the latter locality is not well characterized and is doubtful.

The zaccagnaita-3R has not been found anywhere in the world and, for now, is completely unique to the cave of El Soplao.

It is a mineral of the hydrotalcite group, relatively rare minerals that have a strong interest in practical applications, especially as catalysts in industrial processes, water treatment and pharmacy.

So its main pharmaceutical uses are antacid and antitéptico (hydrotalcites are used in the treatment of gastric ulcers by rapid neutralizing effect); excipient and stabilizer (absorption capacity makes are used in the compositions of the anti-inflammatory
as well as in the therapeutic treatment of heart disease).

Similarly, the hydrotalcites are applied in the treatment of iron deficiency, as well as in the preparation of ointments and plasters for protecting damaged skin.

As for other applications, its use as a stabilizer stresses PVC waste water and sulfur oxides by its absorbent capacity as well as in industrial applications (flame retardant, ion exchanger and molecular sieve, etc.).

Consists mainly of zinc, aluminum, carbonate groups and water. However, the zaccagnaita of The Soplao is unique in that it is a polytype (the 3Rs) previously unknown.

The different polytypes that may have a mineral species have chemical composition similar basic structural elements, but its crystal structure and therefore its symmetry is different. The analysis of the zaccagnaita-3R The Soplao has led to significant data
in this mineral, unknown so far. This analysis was performed diagram from X-ray diffraction by the powder method, infrared spectrum and differential thermal diagrams and thermal gravimetric.

The parameters obtained in this study indicate that zaccagnaita El Soplao is structurally different from the original species (zaccagnaita-2H, hex), which has concluded that it is a new trigonal polytype: zaccagnaite-3R.

Chemical analysis by electron microprobe revealed that the zaccagnaita-3R Soplao has an unusual chemistry within the group of natural hydrotalcites, since it is significantly richer in aluminum which the hexagonal polytype (2H).

The origin of the zaccagnaita of The Soplao is related to the diagenesis of iron and manganese oxides (also rich in aluminum and zinc), which form stromatolites manganese recently discovered in the cave of El Soplao.

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Posted by Fouad Ashraf on Apr 14 2012. Filed under World. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry