Monazite-huttonite solid-solutions from the Vico Volcanic Complex, Latium, Italy

Abstract

Abstract The crystal-chemical relationships occurring within a single grain of monazite-(Ce) from Vetralla, Vico Volcanic Complex, north of Rome, are outlined. The sample is from a miarolitic cavity in a holocrystalline ejectum consisting of K-feldspar plus minor plagioclase, mica and Fe-oxides, collected from a pyroclastic explosive level. The Gandolfi film (Cu- K α radiation) can be indexed in space group P 2 1 / n with a = 6.816(4); b = 6.976(4); c = 6.471(3) Å; β = 103.63(3)°; V = 299.0(6) Å 3 . Electron-probe microanalyses plot within the field of monazite along the huttonite-monazite edge of the huttonite-monazite-brabantite triangle. Despite patchy and irregular zoning, the grain shows a clear enrichment towards pure monazite at the outer rim. A constant Th:Si ratio of 1:1 indicates the existence of a simple solid-solution between huttonite and monazite. The substitution can be written as Th 4+ + Si 4+ → REE 3+ + P 5+ without requiring any electrostatic compensation by divalent cations, or by anionic groups. The REE distribution pattern is compatible with that of monazites from syenitic rocks.