title: Synthesis and proposed crystal structure of a disordered cadmium arsenate apatite Cd5(AsO4)3Cl(1-2x-y)O(x)[symbol: see text](x)OH(y).
abstract: During a study into the synthesis of minerals composed of mining wastes aimed at improving their immobilisation, a cadmium arsenate apatite has been prepared by hydrothermal methods. The structure of this apatite was analysed by single crystal X-ray diffraction, and was found to consist of a standard apatite framework based on Cd(5)(AsO(4))(3)X, where X represents an anion resident on the (0,0,0.25) site. The framework is hexagonal with the space group P6(3)/m(no 176), a= 9.9709(8), c= 6.4916(4)[Angstrom]. The X ion site is predominantly occupied by Cl(-) ions; however due to significant shortening of the c axis exhibited by all cadmium containing apatite phases, a pure chlorapatite is not possible without a significant cation deficiency. No evidence of the necessary deficiency was found in the crystal structure. For larger bromo- and iodo-apatites significant modulations along the c-axis are required to accommodate the halide. This paper examines a number of compensation mechanisms and proposes that a minor disorder of chloride, oxide and hydroxide located on the X ion site provides the required charge compensation mechanism. This is contrary to previous complex modulations proposed in the literature. The proposed chemical formula is Cd(5)(AsO(4))(3)Cl(1-2x-y)O(x)[symbol:see text](x)OH(y) where [symbol: see text] represents a vacancy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Earth Sciences, University of Durham, Science Laboratories, South Road, Durham, UKDH1 3LE. c.d.johnson@durham.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Christopher D
authors.initials: CD
authors.lastname: Johnson
authors.forename: Jorg
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Feldmann
authors.forename: Donald E
authors.initials: DE
authors.lastname: Macphee
authors.forename: Fred
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Worrall
authors.forename: Janet M S
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Skakle