# A brief encounter with notations in mineralogy <img width="1200" src="https://i.imgur.com/YCASu10.jpg"> ## Overview In June 2022, I was lucky to enjoy a tour of Vienna's Museum of Natural History and its [Mineral Collection](https://www.nhm-wien.ac.at/en/research/mineralogy__petrography/collections/the_mineral_collection). I encountered a variety of samples which happened to be tagged with unexpectedly sophisticated labels, employing standard mathematical syntax interleaved with common chemistry notation. I lack knowledge of chemistry beyond the secondary education level, so chemical experts who happen to stumble on this post should expect the observations of someone well-versed in mathematical syntax, but a novice in other related sciences (materials science, crystallography, etc). ## Observations Here are 23 exhibits with some interesting use of notation. <div style="width:59px">Mineral</div> | <div style="width:420px">Image</div> | <div style="width:65px">Notes</div> :--- | :--- | :--- [Argentoliveingit](https://www.mineralienatlas.de/lexikon/index.php/MineralData?mineral=Argentoliveingit) | <img width="600" src="https://i.imgur.com/G2zPt0V.jpg"> | restricted variable "x" [Penroseite](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Penroseite) | <img width="600" src="https://i.imgur.com/8xWPi7T.jpg"> | [mineral series](https://www.minerals.net/resource/Chemical_Properties.aspx) notation, aka "[continuous substitution](https://chemistry.stackexchange.com/a/119294)", "or". | [Skutterudite](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skutterudite) | <img width="600" src="https://i.imgur.com/b7GvaEz.jpg"> | "variable formula subscript", "3 or 2" | [Rathite](https://www.mindat.org/min-3370.html) | <img width="600" src="https://i.imgur.com/e5DCzTl.jpg"> | division, subtraction, addition with "x" [Gearksutite](https://www.mindat.org/min-1663.html) | <img width="600" src="https://i.imgur.com/tuo3WQE.jpg">| square brackets denote a [coordination complex](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coordination_complex#Nomenclature_and_terminology) and **not** [concentration](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bracket#Chemistry) [Thomsenolite](https://www.mindat.org/min-3940.html)| <img width="600" src="https://i.imgur.com/mSO6tyO.jpg"> | The dot indicates that these are two separate molecules, but they are rationally proportionate. see [Hydrous Minerals](https://www.minerals.net/resource/Chemical_Properties.aspx) [Ilsemannite](https://www.mindat.org/min-2015.html) | <img width="600" src="https://i.imgur.com/JB2Cluk.jpg"> | The letter "n" is used to describe a variable amount of water. see [Hydrous Minerals](https://www.minerals.net/resource/Chemical_Properties.aspx) [Connellit](https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Connellit) | <img width="600" src="https://i.imgur.com/cdsqXFW.jpg"> | [non-standard](https://chemistry.stackexchange.com/a/23906) use of vertical bar, maybe old-fashioned? [Sahlinite](https://www.mindat.org/min-3502.html) |<img width="600" src="https://i.imgur.com/ifMNiOw.jpg"> | same use of vertical bars [Creedite](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Creedite) | <img width="600" src="https://i.imgur.com/gYFo1ps.jpg"> | maybe non-standard use of slash? [Arthurite](https://www.mindat.org/min-376.html) | <img width="600" src="https://i.imgur.com/PvWDFsv.jpg"> | same use of slash? [Uranmicrolite](https://www.mindat.org/min-4103.html) | <img width="600" src="https://i.imgur.com/k7bFaW3.jpg"> | standard elision "…" [Aeschynite](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aeschynite-(Ce)) | <img width="600" src="https://i.imgur.com/Z3mdLhB.jpg"> | standard elision "…" [Uranpyrochlore](https://www.mindat.org/min-4116.html) | <img width="600" src="https://i.imgur.com/OczD3Bd.jpg"> | some serious use of mineral series [Stetefeldtite](https://www.mineralienatlas.de/lexikon/index.php/MineralData?lang=en&mineral=Stetefeldtit#LDSP33) | <img width="600" src="https://i.imgur.com/tZSaonL.jpg"> | coordinated use of the hyphen as "1 or 2", "2 or 1" [Davidite](https://www.wikiwand.com/de/Davidit) | <img width="600" src="https://i.imgur.com/wULSNam.jpg"> | [Lewis dot structure](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lewis_structure) annotations for Fe? [Sarkolith](https://www.mineralienatlas.de/lexikon/index.php/MineralData?lang=en&mineral=Sarkolith) |<img width="600" src="https://i.imgur.com/JY2IeW8.jpg"> | nested parenthetical [Tourmaline](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tourmaline) | <img width="600" src="https://i.imgur.com/LrG93u7.jpg"> | symbolic variables A,B with substitution [Alluaudite](https://www.mindat.org/min-142.html) | <img width="600" src="https://i.imgur.com/Ic8qz7c.jpg"> | inequality restriction "<2" [Hollandite](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hollandite) | <img width="600" src="https://i.imgur.com/LPKpnn6.jpg"> | inequality restriction "≤2" [Goethite](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goethite) | <img width="600" src="https://i.imgur.com/RMej7Y2.jpg"> | α-[polymorph](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polymorphism_(materials_science)) [Boracite](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boracite) | <img width="600" src="https://i.imgur.com/aa8OPew.jpg"> | β-[polymorph](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polymorphism_(materials_science)) [Holmquistite](https://www.mindat.org/min-1923.html)| <img width="600" src="https://i.imgur.com/7DuHpLh.jpg"> | a [vacancy](https://chemistry.stackexchange.com/a/119294) denoted by ◻ ## Other syntax While compiling this page, a couple of other pieces of related syntax came to my attention: 1. [Variable Formulas](https://www.minerals.net/resource/Chemical_Properties.aspx), where an underscored chemical element, as in ++Ce++ "may be present in small amounts or may not be". 2. Use of `@` for [a small molecule trapped inside a shell](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Endohedral_fullerene), as in $M@C_{60}$. 3. Completely unrelated, but it looks like all common balanced fences, namely `() [] {} <>`, have specialized meanings in [Crystallography](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crystallography#Notation). 4. It may be that some of the notations in the images here are specific to Materials science, as in [Schottky notation vs Kröger-Vink notation](http://dtrinkle.matse.illinois.edu/MatSE584/kap_2/backbone/r2_4_3.html).
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