Sergey V Krivovichev

• D. Sc.
• CEO at St Petersburg University

The article provides an empirical method for using the number of violating reflections for the P4/nnc space group to estimate the formation temperature of different polytypes (P4/nnc, P4/n, and P4nc) of vesuvianite group minerals. For this purpose, a statistical approach based on an instrumentally investigated 197 samples of vesuvianite group miner...

Natural quasicrystals, compounds with characteristics intermediate between crystalline material and glass, have been so far discovered in extraterrestrial materials only. Further, their occurrence in nature is limited to metallic, Al-bearing alloys. The presence of metallic aluminum in these minerals raised doubts about their potential occurrence i...

Berthierine was found in a natrolite vein intersecting volcanogenic-sedimentary rocks on the slope of Mt. Quamdespakh in the upper reaches of the Suolwai River, Lovozero alkaline massif, Kola peninsula, Russian Arctic. The mineral occurs as well-formed translucent pyramidal crystals up to 250 μm in size. The chemical composition determined by elect...

We clarify misunderstandings of Walker et al. (Walker et al. 2024 J. R. Soc. Interface 21, 20240367 (doi:10.1098/rsif.2024.0367)) related to studies of the assembly pathways of molecular subunits in minerals. The finding that these subunits have calculated assembly pathways less than approximately 25 informs a central premise of Assembly Theory—tha...

The crystal structure, thermal behavior, and vibrational spectra of the anthropogenic analogue of boussingaultite, (NH4)2Mg(SO4)2·6H2O, and its dehydrated counterpart efremovite, (NH4)2Mg2(SO4)3, were studied in detail. The sample from the Chelyabinsk burning coal dumps has the composition of (NH4)1.92(Mg1.02Mn0.01Fe0.01)∑1.04(SO4)2·6H2O and crysta...

‘Rhythmite’, Ca29(SiO4)8Cl26, an anthropogenic calcium chloride silicate from the Chelyabinsk coal basin (South Ural, Russia), was investigated using chemical microprobe analysis, in situ single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis (27–727 °C), and Raman spectroscopy. ‘Rhythmite’ is orthorhombic, Pnma: a = 17.0749(6), b = 15.1029(5), c = 13.2907(4) Å...

Celsian (BaAl2Si2O8) is an important component of aluminosilicate-based ceramic, which is widely used in high temperature / high pressure process. However, limited data available on its high pressure (HP) / high temperature (HT) behavior and HT studies were based on multi-component samples only. Here we present data on crystal structure stability a...

Single crystals of the new modification of copper pyrovanadate, δ-Cu2V2O7, were prepared using the chemical vapor transport reaction method. The crystal structure (monoclinic, P21/n, a = 5.0679(3), b = 11.4222(7), c = 9.4462(6) Å, β = 97.100(6)°, V = 542.61(6) Å 3 , Z = 4) was solved by direct methods and refined to R1 = 0.029 for 1818 independent...

Ikorskyite KMn3+(Si4O10)·3H2O is new mineral from agpaitic pegmatite of Kukisvumchorr Mt. (Khibiny Massif, Russia). The mineral forms radial aggregates of light-brown crystals growing on separate quartz crystals or on romanèchite crusts in association with barite, donneite-Y, strontionite, natrolite, vinogradovite, manganoneptunite and organic matt...

Nefedovite, Na5Ca4(PO4)4F, has been investigated by in situ high-temperature powder (30–690 °C) and single crystal (27–827 °C) X-ray diffraction and Raman spectroscopy. Nefedovite is tetragonal, space group I-4, a = 11.6560(2), c = 5.4062(2) Å, V = 734.50(2) ų (R1 = 0.0149). Nefedovite is a 1D antiperovskite, since its crystal structure contains c...

Charmarite, Mn4Al2(OH)12CO3·3H2O, is a hydrotalcite supergroup member (or layered double hydroxide, LDH) with previously unknown crystal structure and a Mn2+-analogue of quintinite (commonly erroneously reported as “2:1 hydrotalcite”). The single-crystal X-ray diffraction (XRD) data were obtained from the specimen from Mont Saint-Hilaire, Québec, C...

Enricofrancoite (IMA 2023-002), ideally KNaCaSi4O10, is a new litidionite-group member found as the product of high-temperature alteration of hosting silicates with the enrichment by Cu-bearing fluids at the rock-fumaroles interface related to the 1872 eruption of Somma-Vesuvius volcano, southern Italy. It occurs as euhedral and platy crystals or c...

Molecular assembly indices, which measure the number of unique sequential steps theoretically required to construct a three-dimensional molecule from its constituent atomic bonds, have been proposed as potential biosignatures. A central hypothesis of assembly theory is that any molecule with an assembly index ≥15 found in significant local concentr...

The information-entropy measures of the complexity of nets have been proposed that take into consideration both vertices and edges of nets. The parameters quantify the amounts of Shannon information per...

Flexible crystal(水晶) structures, which exhibit(展览) single-crystal(水晶)-to-single-crystal(水晶) (SCSC) transformations(转型), are attracting attention(注意) in many applied aspects: magnetic(磁) switches, catalysis, ferroelectrics and sorption. Acid treatment(治疗) for titanosilicate material(材料) AM-4 and natural(自然) compounds with the same structures led to...

Flotation reagents are significant for modifying the interfacial characteristics of mineral grains to achieve the effective separation of minerals. Since the 1960s, when quantum chemistry was first introduced into the study of flotation reagents, many achievements have been made, although some controversial topics remain. The application of quantum...

Both descriptive mineralogy and descriptive biology are based upon the concept of species. The definition of species in mineralogy reflects the dialectic unity of chemical composition and crystal structure, two interdependent features of a crystalline substance. Despite some issues that still remain unresolved, the definition of a mineral species i...

The collection of articles is the first issue in the series "Orthodoxy and Science in the Arctic". The book is devoted to various problems in the field of archaeology, history, and ethnography of the Kola North. Particular attention is paid to the Church history and topical issues of science and religion. The authors of the articles are scholars, r...

In this study, galeite, Na15(SO4)5ClF4 and schairerite, Na21(SO4)7ClF 6 were investigated via in situ single-crystal X-ray diffraction in the temperature range of 300-750 K. Galeite and schairerite are trigonal, P31m, a = 12.1903(2), c = 13.9454(2) Å, V = 1794.69(6) Å 3 , and Z = 3 (R 1 = 0.0273, 300 K) for galeite and a = 12.1859(3), c = 19.3080(6...

Nikolay Ivanovich Kobozev (1903–1974), Professor of Moscow State University, famous Russian physico-chemist, specialist in the field of thermodynamics. In his works devoted to thermodynamics of information and thinking, he emphasized the incompatibility between the entropy law for molecular structures, including molecular machinery of the mind, and...

The crystal structure of Pb10(PO4)6O, the proposed matrix for the potential room-temperature superconductor LK-99, Pb10−xCux(PO4)6O (x = 0.9–1.0), has been reinvestigated via single-crystal X-ray diffraction using crystals prepared by Merker and Wondratschek (Z. Anorg. Allg. Chem. 1960, 306, 25–29). The crystal structure is trigonal, P3¯, a = 9.810...

A novel type of polyoxocuprate (POCu) clusters, [M⊂Cu12O8(AsO4)8]q- (M = Ti(IV), Bi(III)), with a cubooctahedral arrangement of Cu2+ cations, have been prepared by chemical vapor transport reactions (CVT) using the methodology inspired by mineralogical discoveries at volcanic fumaroles of the Tolbachik volcano (Kamchatka peninsula, Russia). Three n...

The article provides a crystal chemical description of the second find of the P21/n modification of NaCaCu5(PO4)4Cl∙5H2O sampleite found at the Kester tin ore deposit. The mineral formation is genetically related to low-temperature oxidation processes of primary copper, zinc, and tin sulfides as well as to the formation of later Cu-, Zn-phosphates...

The mineral-like anthropogenic phase Zn(NH3)2Cl2, with ammine (NH30) complexes from the burned dumps of the Chelyabinsk coal basin (South Urals, Russia), has been investigated using single-crystal and high-temperature powder X-ray diffraction, and Raman and infrared (IR) spectroscopy. The anthropogenic Zn(NH3)2Cl2 is orthorhombic, Imma, a = 7.7399(...

The crystal structure of magnesian halotrichite has been refined for two samples collected as white efflorescences from the surface of geothermal fields associated with the Koshelevsky (sample VK4-09) and Centralny Semyachik (sample SC2-20) volcanos (both Kamchatka peninsula, Russia). Halotrichite and its Mg-rich varieties are common products of th...

The chemical and structural diversity of minerals containing sulfur as an essential mineral forming element has been analyzed in terms of the concept of mineral systems and the information based structural and chemical complexity parameters. The study employs data for 1118 sulfur mineral species approved by the International Mineralogical Associati...

The crystal structure of Pb10(PO4)6O, the proposed matrix for the potential room-temperature superconductor LK-99, Pb10-xCux(PO4)6O (x = 0.9-1.0), has been reinvestigated by single-crystal X-ray diffraction using crystals prepared by Merker and Wondratschek (The crystal structure is trigonal, P, a = 9.8109(6), c = 14.8403(12) Å, V = 1237.06(15), R1...

The crystal structure of Pb$_{10}$(PO$_4$)$_6$O, the proposed matrix for the potential room-temperature superconductor LK-99, Pb$_{10-x}$Cu$_x$(PO$_4$)$_6$O ($x = 0.9-1.0$), has been reinvestigated by single-crystal X-ray diffraction using crystals prepared by Merker and Wondratschek (Z. Anorg. Allg. Chem. 1960, 306, 25-29). The crystal structure i...

Minerals are information-rich materials that offer researchers a glimpse into the evolution of planetary bodies. Thus, it is important to extract, analyze, and interpret this abundance of information to improve our understanding of the planetary bodies in our solar system and the role our planet’s geosphere played in the origin and evolution of lif...

Vladimir Ivanovich Vernadsky (1863-1945) played an important role in the formation and development of modern Russian mineralogy. From the earliest period of his work to an old age, the problems of mineralogy were in the sphere of his main interests. In particular, he pointed out the importance of the development of mineralogical crystal chemistry (...

The mineral kingdom has experienced dramatic increases in diversity and complexity through billions of years of planetary evolution as a consequence of a sequence of physical, chemical, and biological processes. Each new formational environment, or “mineral paragenetic mode,” has its own characteristic attributes, including the stage of mineral evo...

The mineral-like phase Ca3SiO4Cl2, an anthropogenic anhydrous calcium chlorine-silicate from the Chelyabinsk coal basin has been investigated using single-crystal and high-temperature powder X-ray diffraction and Raman spectroscopy. The empirical formula of this phase was calculated as Ca2.96[(Si0.98P0.03)Σ1.01O4]Cl2, in good agreement with its ide...

The crystal structure of manganotychite has been refined using the holotype specimen from the Alluaiv Mountain, Lovozero massif, Kola peninsula, Russia. The mineral is cubic, Fd3¯, a = 14.0015(3) Å, V = 2744.88(18) Å3, Z = 8, R1 = 0.020 for 388 independently observed reflections. Manganotychite is isotypic to tychite and ferrotychite. Its crystal s...

A general overview of the theory of complexity of minerals is given based on the approximation of minerals as mostly ideal crystals with idealized chemical compositions (but taking into account chemical substitutions). The procedures for the calculation of chemical and structural complexities from information-theoretic arguments are given, and thei...

The crystal structure of quintinite, Mg4Al2(OH)12(CO3)·3H2O, from Jacupiranga alkaline complex (Cajati, São Paulo, Brazil) has been refined for two samples (91002 and C7029) using single-crystal X-ray diffraction data. The mineral crystallizes in the P-3c1 space group, a = 5.246/5.298, c = 15.110/15.199 Å for the samples 91002/C7029. The crystal st...

The article provides an empirical method to use the number of violating reflections for the P4/nnc space group to estimate the formation temperature of different polytypes (P4/nnc, P4/n and P4nc) of vesuvianite group minerals. For this purpose, a statistical approach based on an instrumentally investigated 197 samples of vesuvianite group minerals...

Herein we report a crystal chemical and spectroscopic study of two anthropogenic ferrites: aciculite and srebrodolskite from the burnt dumps of the Chelyabinsk coal basin (South Urals, Russia).

The discovery of a large number of new U6+ minerals in recent years demonstrates the unique evolution of the natural material within the uranium deposits, but the processes of direct alteration of mineral species remain largely unexplored and not fully understood. In this paper we report on the investigation of the crystal chemical characteristics,...

The compound Na2CaPO4F has at least three polymorphic modifications: monoclinic α (also known as the natural mineral nacaphite), orthorhombic β and rhombohedral γ. All three polymorphs have antiperovskite-type structures belonging to either 2H (α and β) or 15R (γ) polytypes. The β-phase was synthesized using CaF2, NaF and Na3PO4 as initial reagents...

Through the combination of low-temperature hydrothermal synthesis and room-temperature evaporation, a synthetic phase similar in composition and crystal structure to the Earth’s most complex mineral, ewingite, was obtained. The crystal structures of both natural and synthetic compounds are based on supertetrahedral uranyl-carbonate nanoclusters tha...

Single crystals of Na2Cu⁺[Cu²⁺3O](AsO4 )2Cl (1) and Cu3[Cu3O]2(PO4)4Cl2 ( 2 ) were prepared by chemical vapor transport reactions. Both crystal structures are based upon the same [O2Cu6]⁸⁺ chains formed by corner-sharing (OCu4)⁶⁺ tetrahedra and interconnected by (TO4)³⁻ (T = P, As) tetrahedra into porous {[OCu3](TO4)2Cl}³⁻ frameworks. The channels...

The crystal structure of sergeysmirnovite, MgZn2(PO4)2·4H2O (orthorhombic, Pnma, a = 10.6286(4), b = 18.3700(6), c = 5.02060(15) Å, V = 980.26(6) Å3, Z = 4), a new member of the hopeite group of minerals, was determined and refined to R1 = 0.030 using crystals from the Këster mineral deposit in Sakha-Yakutia, Russia. Similar to other members of the...

Plagioclase is the major rock-forming mineral constituting the Earth’s crust, whereas anorthite (CaAl2Si2O8) is a common minerals in lunar highlands crust, meteorites, possibly in some comets and on Mercury. Besides anorthite, two high-temperature polymorphs of CaAl2Si2O8 are known: dmisteinbergite and svyatoslavite, which are found in burnt coal d...

How does one best subdivide nature into kinds? All classification systems require rules for lumping similar objects into the same category, while splitting differing objects into separate categories. Mineralogical classification systems are no exception. Our work in placing mineral species within their evolutionary contexts necessitates this lumpin...

Philipsburgite has been redefined as the ordered intermediate member of the goldhillite-philipsburgite-kipushite isomorphous series with the ideal formula Cu5Zn[(AsO4)(PO4)](OH)6·H2O. The new mineral goldhillite, ideally Cu5Zn(AsO4)2(OH)6·H2O [or Cu5Zn(AsO4)(AsO4)(OH)6·H2O], is the arsenate end-member of this series. Goldhillite occurs on fracture...

The complexities of chemical composition and crystal structure are fundamental characteristics of minerals that have high relevance to the understanding of their stability, occurrence and evolution. This review summarises recent developments in the field of mineral complexity and outlines possible directions for its future elaboration. The database...

Borophosphates of transition 3d metals are based on the mixed heteropolyhedral MTT- or MTTTr-type frameworks formed by MØ6 octahedra, two types of TØ tetrahedra (PO4 and BO4 tetrahedra), and, more rarely, TrO3 triangles (BO3 triangles). Family of compounds with the general formula A_{1-x}^+B_x^{2+}{M_x^{2+}M_{1-x}^{3+}[BP2O8(OH)]} (where A+ = K, Rb...

Zolotarevite (IMA2020-076), ideally Na 5 Zr[Si 6 O 15 (ОН) 3 ]⋅2–3H 2 O, is а new mineral of the lovozerite group. The mineral was found in a leucocratic nepheline syenite from Kedykverpakhk Mt., Lovozero alkaline massif, Kola Peninsula, Russia. It occurs as anhedral grains up to 1 mm across and is associated with microcline–perthite, nepheline, so...

The production of electrolytic nickel includes the stage of leaching of captured firing nickel matte dust. The solutions formed during this process contain considerable amounts of Pb, which is difficult to extraction due to its low concentration upon the high-salt background. The sorption of lead from model solutions with various compositions by sy...

For this study, the rare Cu-bearing silicate fumarolic assemblages from the Somma–Vesuvius volcano, Italy, characterised by the rare mineral litidionite, CuKNaSi 4 O 10 , were investigated. We report new data about Cu- and Ti-bearing phases found in these mineralisations, in which Ti-bearing litidionite occurs together with kamenevite, perovskite a...

The microporous titanosilicate sitinakite, KNa2Ti4(SiO4)2O5(OH)·4H2O, was first discovered in the Khibiny alkaline massif. This material is also known as IONSIV IE-911 and is considered as one of the most effective sorbents for Cs+ and Sr2+ from water solutions. We investigate a mechanism of cooperative crystal chemical adaptation caused by the inc...

The crystal structure of Na2Mn3(SO4)4 [unit-cell parameters a = 14.8307 (18), b = 9.9107 (18), c = 8.6845 (12) Å, space group Cmc21] displays order–disorder (OD) character and can be described using the OD groupoid family, more precisely a family of OD structures built up by two types of non-polar layers, with layer symmetry P(m)c21 (L2n+1 type) an...

Topological analysis of the heteropolyhedral MT framework (where M and T are octahedral and tetrahedral cations, respectively) in the eudialyte-type structure and its derivatives was performed based on a natural tiling analysis of the 3D cation. To analyze the migration paths of sodium cations in these structures, the Voronoi method was used. The p...

The high-pressure behavior of the borosilicate reedmergnerite NaBSi3O8 has been studied using in situ single-crystal X-ray diffraction and Raman spectroscopy up to 35 GPa. The crystal structure of NaBSi3O8 contracts...

Modularity is an important construction principle of many inorganic crystal structures that has been used for the analysis of structural relations, classification, structure description and structure prediction. The principle of maximal simplicity for modular inorganic crystal structures can be formulated as follows: in a modular series of inorgani...

In the experiments on volborthite in situ and ex situ heating, analogues of all known natural anhydrous copper vanadates have been obtained: ziesite, pseudolyonsite, mcbirneyite, fingerite, stoiberite and blossite, with the exception of borisenkoite, which requires the presence of As in the V site. The evolution of Cu-V minerals during in situ heat...

Anthropogenic rapidcreekite, Ca 2 (SO 4)(CO 3)·4H 2 O, from burnt dumps of coal mines in the Chelyabinsk coal basin, South Urals, Russia, previously described as 'korkinoite', has been studied by single-crystal X-ray diffraction, high-temperature powder X-ray diffraction, infrared (IR) and Raman spectroscopy. The mineral is orthorhombic, Pcnb, a =...

The crystal chemistry of high-pressure (HP) silicates has been reviewed with special emphasis on their structural topology and Si coordination. The HP silicates are subdivided into eleven major groups according to their chemical compositions: (i) SiO 2 polymorphs; (ii) feldspar polymorphs; (iii) pyroxene and amphibole high-pressure polymorphs; (iv)...

The mineralogy of carbonatites reflects both the diversity of the sources of their parent magmas and their unusual chemistry. Carbonatites contain diverse suites of both primary magmatic minerals and later hydrothermal products. We present a summary of the variety of minerals found in carbon-atites, and note the economic importance of some of them,...

The Lovozero peralkaline massif (Kola Peninsula, Russia) has several deposits of Zr, Nb, Ta and rare earth elements (REE) associated with eudialyte-group minerals (EGM). Eudialyte from the Alluaiv Mt. often forms zonal grains with central parts enriched in Zr (more than 3 apfu) and marginal zones enriched in REEs. The detailed study of the chemical...

Reddish-brown crystals of were prepared by chemical transport reactions. The crystal structure was solved using single-crystal diffraction data (a = 9.0472(5), b = 11.5591(4), c = 9.1786(5) Å, β = 118.692(7)°, V = 842.01(9) Å 3) and refined to R1 = 0.039 for 4369 independent observed reflections. The crystal structure consists of the anionic chains...

Structural complexity measures based on Shannon information entropy are widely used for inorganic crystal structures. However, the application of these parameters for molecular crystals requires essential modification, since atoms in inorganic compounds usually possess more degrees of freedom. In this work, a novel scheme for the calculation of com...

Single crystals of two novel shchurovskyite-related compounds, K2Cu[Cu3O]2(PO4)4 (1) and K2.35Cu0.825[Cu3O]2(PO4)4 (2), were synthesized by crystallization from gaseous phase and structurally characterized using single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis. The crystal structures of both compounds are based upon similar Cu-based layers, formed by rods...

The crystal structures of compounds with the general formula Cs{[6]Al2[[4]TP6O20]} (where T = Al, B) display order-disorder (OD) character and can be described using the same OD groupoid family. Their structures built up by two kinds of non-polar layers, with the layer symmetries Pcn2 (L2n+1-type) and Pcam (L2n-type) (category IV). All ordered poly...

The crystal structure of nikmelnikovite, Ca 12 Fe ²⁺ Fe ³⁺ 3 Al 3 (SiO 4 ) 6 (OH) 20 , a new member of the garnet supergroup from Kovdor massif, Kola Peninsula, Russia ( R $\bar{3}$ , a = 17.2072(6), c = 10.5689(4) Å, V = 2710.1(2) Å ³ and Z = 3) has been refined to R 1 = 0.046 on the basis of 1184 unique observed reflections. Nikmelnikovite is the...

Microporous slicates with the pharmacosiderite structure and the general formula A 3– x H 1+ x [Ti 4 O 4 (SiO 4 ) 3 ](H 2 O) n ( A = Na, K, Cu), ( n = 6–9, x = 0–2) are outstanding in their ion-exchange properties. The ivanyukite mineral group consists of three species, one of which has two polymorphs. The minerals forming a progressive series: iva...

Nine different samples of fluorellestadite from Chelyabinsk, Kizel and Kuznetsk coal basins were studied by single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis, thermal X-ray diffraction (25–800 °C), Infrared (IR) and Raman spectroscopy. Fluorellestadite is hexagonal, space group P63/m, the unit-cell parameters for the nine samples studied vary within rather...

Averievite-type compounds with the general formula (MX)[Cu5O2(TO4)], whereM= alkali metal, X = halogen and T = P, V, have been synthesized by crystallization from gases and structurally characterized for six different compositions: 1 (M = Cs; X = Cl; T = P), 2 (M = Cs; X = Cl; T = V), 3 (M= Rb; X = Cl; T = P), 4 (M= K; X = Br; T = P), 5 (M= K; X =...