Fe23Al2Si3O12

Fe23Al2Si3O12 is the empirical chemical formula of a ferrisilicate composition. It is not widely recognized as a discrete mineral species in major mineralogical databases, and there is little published information on a natural phase with this exact stoichiometry. Formulas of this type often appear as end-member representations in experimental studies or as simplified descriptions within complex solid solutions rather than as independently defined minerals.

Composition and structure: The formula indicates a silicate framework containing three silicon atoms and twelve oxygen atoms, with a large proportion of iron and aluminum cations to balance charge. Without explicit oxidation-state assignments, the overall charge balance implied by the formula is ambiguous, making a definitive structural interpretation difficult. If a real phase with this composition exists, it would be expected to be iron-rich and could plausibly relate to oxide silicate systems or garnet-like frameworks, but no validated crystal structure has been published for this exact composition.

Occurrence and significance: At present, there is no widely documented natural occurrence for Fe23Al2Si3O12. It is more likely to be encountered as a synthetic phase in materials research, as an empirical end-member in phase diagrams, or as a placeholder in geochemical models of iron-rich silicate systems. Studying such compositions can help researchers understand how high iron content influences silicate network formation, cation ordering, and phase relations under varying pressure and temperature.

See also: silicate minerals, garnet, iron silicates, aluminosilicates.