Gontributions to the mineralogy of the syenite
pegmatites in the Larvik Plutonic Gomplex
Alf Olav Larsen
The book covering the mineralogy on the syenite pegmatites of the Larvik Plutonic Complex
was published three years ago (Larsen 2010). Since then, several species new to the districtor new to science have been found and verified. This paper briefly describes these new
species. The number of documented species found in the syenite pegmatites in the Larvik
Plutonic Complex is now close to 210.

Pyrrhotite
Because of an inadvertence, the description of the mineral pyrrhotite was unfortunately
omitted in the book "The Langesundsfjord" (Larsen 2010). Here is the text as it should havebeen published.

Pyrrhotite

Fer-"S(x=0-0.2)
Crystallognphy. Pyrrhotite occurs as several polytypes. The two most common polytypes
are:1) Monoclanic (prismatic), C2lc, a= 'l'1.90, b =6.87, c= 22.88 A, P = 90.3o2) Hexagonal (dipyramidal), fttlmmc, a = 3.44, c = 5.75 A
XRD patterns of pyrrhotite from HSkestad and Melau show pure monoclinic polytype, while
pyrrhotite from Thorstein is a mixture of monoclinic and hexagonal polytypes.
Colour Bronze-yellow
Streak: Dark greyish black
Lusfre: Metallic on fresh surfaces, but tamishes quickly.
Tenacity Britlle
Cleavage'. Good parting on {0001 }Fracture: Uneven to subconchoidal
Hardness'. 4
Density. 4.7 gtcm3
Remark'. Weakly magnetic

Pyrrhotite was probably first observed in the syenite pegmatites in the Larvik Plutonic
Complex around 1975. The mineral crystallized during the hydrothermal stage of thepegmatite formation, and occurs associated with zeolites and other sutfides.

Pyrrhotite is a relatively rare mineral in the syenite pegmatites in the Larvik Plutonic
Complex. ln certain pegmatites in the Thorstein and the Melau quarries in Brunlanes,
however, massive pyrrhotite occurs quite abundant together with pyrite and minor amountsof chalmpyrite and molybdenite. Sulfides fill several cm wide fissures, cracks and spaces
between the earlier crystallized minerals. Pyrrhotite has been found in as masses up to 1- 2
cm in the H6kestad quarry in Tjolling. Small amounts of pyrrhotite have been observed in an
E-18 roadcut at Ronningen in Eidanger. Pyrrhotite has been found in the Saga I quarry,
Morje and the Tuften quarry, Tvedalen area in very scarce amount as tabular hexagonal
crystals up to '1 mm across. Subhedral crystals of pyrrhotite up to 2 mm across have beenfound in a hydrothermally altered pegmatite in the Ostskogen quarry in Tvedalen. The
mlneral was associated wilh minor amounts of chalcopyrite, and embedded in chlorite andfinely scaly muscovite. Small pyrrhotite crystals have been observed in the Saga Pearlquarry in Tvedalen. Pyrrhotite has also been found at Bratthagen in LAgendalen.

l0tBastniisite-(La)
Bastndsite-(La), (La,Ce)(CO3)F, was briefly described by Kolitsch et al. (2013). The mineralform tiny rounded platelets, either arranged in sprays embedded in matrix or as crusts
covering surfaces of tiny voids in F-bearing schorl at the Almenningen quarry, Tvedalen.

Brookite
Brookite (TiO2) was identified by A.O. Larsen in 2011 in samples collected by P. Andresen
from the Midtfjellet larvikite quarry, Malersd, Larvik. The mineral occurs as black, semimetallic well-developed, ruler-shaped crystals up to 0.5 mm in length. The following forms
are identified: {100}, {110} and {111}. The crystals are arranged in aggregates up to 5 mm
across, usually circumferencing pyrite crystals, and associated with gonnardite in vugs linedwith analcime. An elemental analysis using SEM/EDS showed that brookite, apart from Ti
and O as major elements, contains minor amounts of Fe, Si and Nb.

)

Brookite from the Midtfjellet quarry, Malersd, Larvik. The crystals are about 0.5 mm in length.
SEM micrograph by A.O. Larsen.

Gassiterite
Cassiterite, SnO2, as tiny, anhedral inclusions (max 5 pm across) in sch6rl and xenotime-(Y)from the Almenningen quarry, Tvedalen was briefly described by Kolitsch et al. (2013).

Chromatite
Chromatite, CaCrO+, was mentioned by Piilonen et al. (2012) from the dump at Buer,
Bjorkedalen. The mineral occurs as tiny brownish-rusty, blocky crystals in a small vug andwas identified by XRD (P. Piilonen, pers. comm.2013).
102

Ferri -fl uoro-leakeite

The rare, lithium-bearing amphibole ferri-fluoro-leakeite, NaNa2(Mg2Fe23*Li)SisOzzFz, isrecently identified by R. Oberti (University of Pavia, ltaly) in a sample from Bratthagen,
LAgendalen that was collected by R. Kristiansen in 1978. Ferri-fluoro-leakeite occurs asmustard-yellow lath-shaped crystals up to 10 mm in length (R. Kristansen, pers. @mm.
2013). Ferri-fluoro-leakeite was type described from Kazakhstan as fluoroleakeite (Camara

et al. 2010), and the name was later changed according to the recent definition of thenomenclature of amphibole supergroup (Hawthome et al. 2012) to ferri-fluoro-leakeite. The
Bratthagen species is the second find of the mineral.

Gugiaite

Hydroxyl-bearing gugiaite withtheaverage empirical formula(Ca13,,s7)(Sio.gBeorXBer.zSioe)[O5(OH)2], ideally CazBeSizOT, w?S recently described by
Grice & Kristiansen (2013). The mineral was found by R.Kristiansen both at Bldfjell,
Langangen and Saga lquarry, Morje, Porsgrunn. The mineral occurs as small, -100 pm,
rod-like, pale yellowish crystals or as white or grey, anhedral grains and rarely as euhedral
crystals, with a flattened pillow-shaped tetragonal dipyramid form (see SEM micrographbelow). lt is tetragonal with a = 7.415(1), c = 4.961(2) A, V = 272.9(1) A3 and Z= 2. The cellparameters are slightly smaller than gugiaite from other localities and the refractive indices crl= 1.622(2), v = 1 .632(2) are lower. The chemical composition of the Norwegian gugiaite
differs from gugiaite from the type locality in China.

Crystals of gugiaite from
Saga lquarry, Morje,
Porsgrunn.
SEM micrograph by R.
Kristiansen.

nBSE2,.19:Jun-12

rMA 2012-039
The new mineral species with the chemical composition Car-zFeSi5Be2O13(OH)z].2HzO has
been found in syenite pegmatites at Bl6fjell, Langangen, Norway and in the AS Granite
quarry, Tvedalen (Grice et al. 2013).

103

rMA 2012-084
The first, natural hexaniobate mineral, MnaNboOrg'14H2O, is recently approved by IMA as a
new species and briefly discussed by Friis (2012). The mineral was found by P. Andresen in
the AS Granit quarry, Tvedalen in November 2010.

Karibibite
ln April 2013 P . Andresen found two aggregates of lollingite, each about 7x7 cm in size, in apegmatite on level 1 in the AS Granit quarry, Tvedalen. The lollingite was intimatelyintergrown with galena. The samples contain masses of fluorite. The ldllingite and galena has
been subject to supergene alteration resulting in the formation of several arsenates, of which
three (underlined) are new to the Larvik Plutonic Complex: karibibite, philipsbomite, yukonite
and pharmacosiderite. The minerals are identified by AOL using XRD and SEM/EDS.

Karibibite,FezAsr(O,OH)s, occUrs as yellow to yellowish brown, finely fibrous, divergent
aggregates, up to 1 mm across, in tiny vugs lined with yukonite in feldspar and fluorite.

Fibrous aggregates of karibibite on
yukonite from the AS Granit quarry,
Tvedalen. SEM micrograph by A.O.
Larsen.

Lead
Native lead (Pb) was identified by AOL in 2010 in samples collected by P. Andresen from asyenite pegmatite showing a rich diversity of minerals on level 2 in the AS Granit quarry,
Tvedalen. An elemental analysis using SEM/EDS showed Pb as the only detectable element.
Lead occurs as grey, soft and malleable patches and flakes, up to a few mm across, closely
associated with galena, litharge and hydrocerussite. Lead, litharge and hydrocerussite wereformed as the result of hydrothermal alteration of galena. The pegmatite and its minerals aredescribed by Andresen (2013).

Luinaite-(OH)Luinaite-(OH), (Na,r)(Fe2*,Mg)3A16(BO3)3Si6018(OH)4, is a monoclinic-pseudorhombohedral
member of the tourmaline group, and can be considered as the monoclinic analogue oft04

schorl. The symmetry reduction is caused by cation ordering. The mineral can be correctly
identified only using high-resolution XRD (SXRD) studies. The mineral was submitted to IMA
in 2009 (lMA 2009-046) and subsequently accepted as a new species. The type description
is still in preparation (Mills et al., to be submitted). Luinaite-(OH) has been identified by U.
Kolitsch (Naturhistorisches Museum Wien) in October 2011 as brown-black radiating crystals
and crystal aggregates up to 10 mm in length in analcime/natrolite matrix from the Midtfjellet
larvikite quarry, Malerod, Larvik (collected by P. Andresen in 200612007). The mineral has
also been identified by U. Kolitsch from AS Granit quarry, Tvedalen as small, black prisms.
Luinaite-(OH) and other tourmalines from the Larvik Plutonic Complex are described byKolitsch et al. (2013).

Philipsbornite
Philipsbornite, PbAls(AsO+)z(OH,HzO)0, occurs as very pale greenish, botryoidally crusts intiny vugs, and fills cracks and fissures in 16llingite. The mineral is associated withpharmacosiderite, yukonite and karibibite. The minerals were found by P. Andresen in April
2013 on level 1 in the AS Granit quarry, Tvedalen, and subsequently identified by A.O.
Larsen.

I
Botryoidally masses ofphilipsbornite from the AS Granit
quarry, Tvedalen.
SEIV micrograph by A.O. Larsen

Iv,

Pyrochlore supergroup species
Piilonen et al. (2013) presents a thorough investigation of pyrochlore minerals from thepegmatites in the Larvik Plutonic Complex. Most of the unaltered pyrochlores can be named
fluorcalciopyrochlore, which, according to Atencio (2010) and Christy & Atencio (2013), isa "possible new species", but formally not yet approved by CNMNC-IMA. Some of theunaltered samples may be classified as calciopyrochlore (F < 0.5 apfu). Piilonen et al.
(2013) points out the fact that pyrochlores from the LPC often sufferfrom different types ofalteration, resulting in domains of varying chemical composition ranging in composition fromca lc iopyroch lore to kenopyroch lore or hydropyroc h lore.

105

Rinkite
Johnstrupite has for many years been considered as a variety of mosandrite. Bellezza el al.
(2009b) has proved, however, lhat johnstruplle is identical to rinkite, and that there are
structural, crystallographic and chemical differences between mosandrite and rinkite(Bellezza et al. 2009a). ln brief, mosandrite compared to rinkite is characterized by a low
content of Ca, Na, F, and a relatively high content of HzO. The chemical formulae formosandrite is Ti(n,Ca,Na)3(Ca,REE)4(SirO7)r(OH,F)4'2HrO, rinkite isTi(Na,Ca)3(Ca,REE)4(SirO7)r(OF3). The two species can be properly identified only bychemical analysis.

Ten samples of alleged mosandrites from the Langesundsfjord district were analysed byLarsen & Erambert (2010). Four of these samples were identified as rinkite: Saga I larvikite
quarry at Morje, Aroyskjarene (NW towards Dypingen), Fredriksen's prospect on
Aroyskjarene, and a locality in the forest in the centre of Atoya.

Micheelsenite
A fibrous mineral from Bratthagen was found by the author and tried identified using XRD at
the Geological Museum in Oslo both in 1978 and 1981, but without success. ln autumn 2010,
however, a new try using both XRD and SEIWEDS gave a positive result for micheelsenite,(Ca,Y)gA|[PO:OH,CO3](CO3XOH)6.12(HrO), which was type described from Mont SaintHilaire, Canada and Nanna pegmatite, Soulh Greenland by McDonald et al. (2001).
Micheelsenite from Bratthagen occurs as mlourless, fibrous crystals up to 0.7 mm long andas fan-shaped aggregates up to 1.5 mm across. The mineral occurs in vugs in microcline
associated with zircon, hilairite, aegirine and gonnardite. The Bratthagen find was describedby Berge (201"1).

Surkhobite

The rare mineral surkhobite, (Ba,K)zCaNa([In,Fe2t,Fe3.)rTirlSirOrlooolF,oH,o)6,

has

recently been identified by M- Cooper (University of Manitoba) and briefly described by
Kristiansen (2013). The sample of surkhobite was collected by R. Kristiansen at Bratthagen,
Lagendalen in 1978. Surkhobite occurs as nearly colourless, extremely thin, lathshaped
crystals, up to 150 pm in length and 10 pm in width. The crystals are situated on the surfaceof kupletskite. This is the second find of surkhobite worldwide.

Svcinbergite
Sveinbergeite, Ca(Fe2*6 Fe3.)Ti2(Si4012)2o2(oH)s(HrO)4, was described as a new
astrophyllitegroup mineral by Khomyakov et al. (201 1) from a syenite pegmatite at Buer on
the Vesteroya peninsula, Sandefjord. The mineral occurs in cavities as lamellar crystals up to
10 mm in length, forming rosette-like divergent groups and spherical aggregates. Crystals ofsveinbergeite are deep green with a pale green streak and a vitreous and pearly lustre. The
mineral has perfect cleavage on {001} and a Mohs hardness of 3. lts calculated density is
3.152 g/cm3. The mineral is named after the mineral collector Svein Arne Berge. The mineraland the locality have been described by Larsen (2012) and Berge et al. (201 1).

106

Taramite, ferro-pargasite
The amphiboles taramite and ferro-pargasite was mentioned by Piilonen (2012) trom
Bratthagen, Ligendalen. These amphiboles are indistinguishable from other black
amphiboles in the LPC, and can be identified only through chemical analyses.
UK-1 7 (aspedamite-like mineral)ln the syenite pegmatite at Virikkollen at Sandefjord described by Larsen & Kolitsch (2013)
small (up to 0.1 mm) well-developed, reddish, dodecahedral crystals was found in vugs
associated with albite, quartz, epididymite, ilmenite, bastndsite-(Ce), aegirine, mica,
pyrochlore, arfvedsonite and a clay mineral. Preliminary analysis showed that the mineral isessentially a Th-heteropolyniobate, identical to or very closely related to the relatively
recently described mineral aspedamite (Cooper et al. 2012).

UK-19

A white mineral occuning as fibrous bundles and sprays in tiny vugs was collected by P.
Andresen from a syenite pegmatite showing a rich diversity of minerals on level 2 in the AS
Granit quarry, Tvedalen (Andresen 2013). A preliminary elemental analysis by A.O. Larsen
using SEM/EDS indicates that the mineral is a Pb arsenate with minor amounts of Ca and Si.

Yukonite
Yukonite, Ca2Fe3(AsOa)3(OH)4 4HrO, is rather common in the altered lollingite aggregatesfound by P. Andresen in April 201 3 on level 1 in the AS Granit quarry in Tvedalen. The
mineral forms brownish to reddish brown masses filling cracks and fissures. Some of theyukonite shows a micaceous appearance on a microscopically level, while other part of themineralmassive and resinous. Associated minerals include philipsbomite,pharmacosiderite and karibibite.

isZeklz'erile

A colourless mineral occurring in a large cavity in a syenite pegmatite at Virikkollen,
Sandefjord together with zircon, opal-AN, bertrandite and aegirine was discovered in 2010 by

the K.E. Larsen. The mineral was subsequently identified by Uwe Kolitsch as zektzerite,
NaLiZrSioOrs. Zeklzerile occurs as vitreous, mlourless, strongly hydrothermally etched,blocky crystals up 9x7 mm in size. Due to the etching, crystal faces with a somewhat curved
appearance have been recognised in only a few crystals. The locality and its accessory
minerals were described in detail by Larsen & Kolitsch (201 1).

Acknowledgements
My sincere thanks to the following persons for information and samples: P. Andresen, R
Kristiansen, K.E. Larsen, S.A. Berge, P. Piilonen, and U. Kolitsch.

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109