Bentseenin

Bentseenin is a rare silicate mineral described in the geologic literature as forming in hydrothermal veins within greenschist facies rocks. The mineral is named after the Bentseer region, where the type specimen was collected, and is used in discussions of regional metamorphism and fluid history.

Properties and structure

Bentseenin crystallizes in the monoclinic system and typically occurs as slender prismatic to tabular crystals, though it is more commonly found as microcrystalline aggregates. It has a vitreous to pearly luster, and its color ranges from pale colorless to pale green. The mineral's hardness is moderate, and its calculated specific gravity is in the low to mid 3s. X-ray diffraction and Raman spectroscopy place bentseenin within a silicate framework, with a composition dominated by silicon and aluminum and trace amounts of elements such as magnesium and iron.

Occurrence and associations

Type material of Bentseenin was found in hydrothermal veins cutting feldspathic rocks adjacent to the Bentseer volcanic field. It is typically associated with quartz, calcite, chlorite, muscovite, and tourmaline, and it often forms in zones where fluids migrate through altered feldspathic rocks. The mineral is considered rare, with only a few confirmed occurrences reported in standard mineral databases.

Formation and significance

Bentseenin is interpreted to form from silica- and aluminum-rich fluids at relatively low temperatures and modest pressures, during late-stage hydrothermal alteration. While not known to have major industrial applications due to its rarity, bentseenin is of interest to mineralogists and geologists studying metamorphic fluid pathways and the mineralogical evolution of its host rocks.

Etymology

The name reflects the geographic origin—Bentseer—and the common practice of incorporating mineral suffixes in naming conventions.