The International Mineralogical Association, in collaboration with the Commission on New Minerals, Nomenclature, and Classification, has awarded the title of “Mineral of the Year 2023” to batoniite. This mineral, with the chemical formula Al8(SO4)5(OH)14(H2O)18·5H2O, was discovered at the Cetine di Cotorniano mine in the province of Siena, Italy. The sample was studied by a research team led by Daniela Mauro from the Department of Earth Sciences at the University of Pisa, and the findings were published in the European Journal of Mineralogy.
The discovery took place in the Garibaldi tunnel, the lowest level of the Cetine di Cotorniano mining complex. The mineral appears as colorless or white and transparent hemispherical aggregates with a maximum diameter of 1 mm, often associated with gypsum and a low-crystallinity Al-Fe sulfate whose nature remains unknown. Batoniite has been known since the late 1980s, but its detailed description was only recently possible due to the availability of suitable crystals and the ability to gather structural data on very small grains.
Batoniite is the first “Mineral of the Year” of Italian origin and is the fifth new mineral species discovered at the Cetine di Cotorniano mine, following brizziite, cetineite, onoratoite, and rosenbergite. The mineral is named in honor of Massimo Batoni for his contributions to the knowledge of Italian mineralogy.
