Zaccagnaite-3R is unique in the world, as it is the first mineral of its kind formed inside a cave , according to a study published in the American Mineralogist journal. Zaccagnaites are elements of the group of hydrotalcites and are of great interest for their numerous applications in industrial processes, in water treatment and in pharmacy.
Researchers from the Complutense University and the Geominero Museum (Madrid) discovered the new mineral in the Soplao cave (Cantabria, Spain). Zaccagnaite-3R was "hidden" within manganese stromatolites that scientists had found a year ago. Besides being the first to be discovered in a cave, the mineral has an octahedron shape and a fluorescence zone, characteristics hitherto unknown in natural hydrotalcites.
Zaccagnaite was discovered in 2001 in Italy, and the scientists who described it were only able to get a few microscopic samples. It was a different mineral from the one found in the Soplao cave, since the Italian is zaccagnaite-2H and the new mineral described in Spain is zaccagnaite-3R. Both are of interest for industrial applications and also for their therapeutic uses as an antacid, excipient and stabilizer .
