Mineralogical study of mordenite from the Sierra Madre del Sur, southwestern Mexico

Abstract

As a result of mineralogical investigations, large accumulations of hydrothermal zeolite have been found in pyroclastic and volcanic flows sequences of Cretaceous age from  the  geologic province Sierra Madre del Sur (Tumbiscatío, Michoacán, southwestern Mexico). X–ray diffraction, optical and scanning electron microscopy, Raman and infrared spectrometry confirm the discovery of mordenite zeolite of hydrothermal origin in extrusive rocks of southwestern Mexico. The absence of previous records of zeolite deposits in this region of Mexico encourages to continue the mineralogical research in order to evaluate the practical importance of this discovery of mordenite in Michoacán.