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Merrillite
A valid IMA mineral species - grandfathered
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![Ca9NaMg(PO4)7](#"/photo-827598.html"><img src="/image.pl?url=http%3a%2f%2fwww.mindat.org%2fimagecache%2f14%2fa9%2f02239630017271928345905.jpg&f=jpg&w=240" alt="02239630017271928345905.jpg" /></a><div><b>George P. Merrill</b></div></div></div><div><div><span>Formula:</span><div class=){kind=link}
Name:
Named by Edgar T. Wherry in 1917 in honor of George Perkins Merrill (31 May 1854, Auburn, Maine, USA – 15 August 1929, Auburn, Maine, USA), Curator of Geology, U.S. National Museum (Smithsonian Institution). Merrill earlier described the material.
Mg-dominant analogue offerromerrillite. Na analogue ofkeplerite.
Merrillite was revalidated as a valid species in 1976.
Merrill (1915) described the mineral from (at least) 4 meteorites, which may be considered type localities: Alfianello, Dhurmsala, Pultusk, Rich Mountain.
All reported non-terrestrial 'whitlockites' are actually merrillite.
May be crucial in early life studies.
Kaminsky and Zedgenizov (2022) found merrillite as inclusions in lower-mantle diamonds from the Juina area in Brazil. Previously this rare mineral was known only in meteorites and Lunar rocks. This finding may be of importance because merrillite and tuite are considered members of the deep Earth minerals and potential hosts for rare earth elements and large ion lithophile elements.
Merrillite was revalidated as a valid species in 1976.
Merrill (1915) described the mineral from (at least) 4 meteorites, which may be considered type localities: Alfianello, Dhurmsala, Pultusk, Rich Mountain.
All reported non-terrestrial 'whitlockites' are actually merrillite.
May be crucial in early life studies.
Kaminsky and Zedgenizov (2022) found merrillite as inclusions in lower-mantle diamonds from the Juina area in Brazil. Previously this rare mineral was known only in meteorites and Lunar rocks. This finding may be of importance because merrillite and tuite are considered members of the deep Earth minerals and potential hosts for rare earth elements and large ion lithophile elements.