title: Identification of montgomeryite mineral [Ca4MgAl4(PO4)6·(OH)4·12H2O] found in the Jenolan Caves-Australia.
abstract: In this paper, we report on many phosphate containing natural minerals found in the Jenolan Caves - Australia. Such minerals are formed by the reaction of bat guano and clays from the caves. Among these cave minerals is the montgomeryite mineral [Ca(4)MgAl(4)(PO(4))(6)·(OH)(4)·12H(2)O]. The presence of montgomeryite in deposits of the Jenolan Caves - Australia has been identified by X-ray diffraction (XRD). Raman spectroscopy complimented with infrared spectroscopy has been used to characterise the crystal structure of montgomeryite. The Raman spectrum of a standard montgomeryite mineral is identical to that of the Jenolan Caves sample. Bands are assigned to H(2)PO(4)(-), OH and NH stretching vibrations. By using a combination of XRD and Raman spectroscopy, the existence of montgomeryite in the Jenolan Caves - Australia has been proven. A mechanism for the formation of montgomeryite is proposed.
authors.affiliation: School of Chemistry, Physics and Mechanical Engineering, Science and Engineering Faculty, Queensland University of Technology, GPO Box 2434, Brisbane, Queensland 4001, Australia. r.frost@qut.edu.au
authors.forename: Ray L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Frost
authors.forename: Yunfei
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Xi
authors.forename: Sara J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Palmer
authors.forename: Ross E
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Pogson
mesh_terms: D000535:Aluminum / Q000737:chemistry*; D001315:Australia; D002118:Calcium / Q000737:chemistry*; D059552:Caves / Q000737:chemistry*; D008274:Magnesium / Q000737:chemistry*; D008670:Metals / Q000737:chemistry*; D008903:Minerals / Q000737:chemistry*; D012015:Reference Standards; D013055:Spectrophotometry, Infrared; D013059:Spectrum Analysis, Raman; D014961:X-Ray Diffraction
chemical_list: D008670:Metals; D008903:Minerals; D000535:Aluminum; D008274:Magnesium; D002118:Calcium