Elena Sokolova
Research Professor, Mineralogy
228 Wallace Building
125 Dysart Road
Winnipeg, MB  R3T 2N2
(204) 474-8361
elena_sokolova@umanitoba.ca

ACADEMIC BACKGROUND:

• D.Sc. Mineralogy and Crystallography, Moscow State University (1997): Polysomatism, polymorphism, and isomorphism in the crystal structures of new silicate and phosphate minerals
• Ph.D., Moscow State University (1980), Thesis title: Hydrothermal synthesis and crystal structures of Cd- and Li,Cd-borates
• Diploma (first class honours Moscow State University (1976), Geology and Geochemistry

RESEARCH EXPERTISE:

•  Crystal chemistry of oxysalts, mainly silicates
•  Single-crystal X-ray diffraction of inorganic materials

CURRENT RESEARCH:

The general theme of my research involves the relations between atomic arrangements in minerals, their chemical compositions, and the types of rocks in which these minerals occur. My current research focuses on:

• Structure topology
•  Crystal chemistry of titanium silicates
•  Mineralogy of alkaline rocks

RECENT DISCOVERIES OF NEW MINERALS:
                                                                  Total number of discoveries of new minerals: 54

• 2013: kolskyite, saamite;
• 2011: laptevite-(Ce), kazanskyite;
• 2010: veblenite, tarbagataite, sveinbergeite, kirchhoffite, mendeleevite-(Ce);
• Total: 54 new minerals

RECENT SELECTED PUBLICATIONS:
                                                               Total number of papers in refereed journals: 203

Pautov, L.A., Agakhanov, A.A., Karpenko, V.Yu., Sokolova, E. and Hawthorne, F.C. (2013) Mendeleevite-(Ce),(Cs,)6(,Cs)6(,K)6(REE,Ca,)30(Si70O175)(H2O,OH,F,)35: a new mineral from the Darai-Pioz massif, Tajikistan. Doklady Earth Sciences, 452(2), 1023–1026.

Sokolova, E. and Hawthorne, F.C. (2013) From structure topology to chemical composition. XIV. Titanium silicates: refinement of the crystal structure and revision of the chemical formula of mosandrite, (Ca3REE)[(H2O)2Ca0.5 0.5]Ti(Si2O7)2(OH)2(H2O)2, a Group-I mineral from the Saga mine, Morje, Porsgrunn, Norway. Mineralogical Magazine, 77(6), 2753-2771.

Hawthorne, F.C. and  Sokolova, E. (2012) The role of H2O in controlling bond topology: I. The [6]Mg(SO4)(H2O)n (n = 0-6) structures. Z. Kristallogr., 227, 594-603.

Sokolova, E. (2012) Further developments in the structure topology of the astrophyllite-group minerals. Mineralogical Magazine, 76(4), 863-882.

Cámara, F., Sokolova, E. and Hawthorne, F.C. (2012) Kazanskyite, BaTiNbNa3Ti(Si2O7)2O2(OH)2(H2O)4, a Group-III Ti-disilicate mineral from the Khibiny alkaline massif, Kola Peninsula, Russia: description and crystal structure. Mineralogical Magazine, 76(3), 473–492.

Cámara, F., Sokolova, E. and Hawthorne, F.C. (2011): From structure topology to chemical composition. XII. Titanium silicates: the crystal chemistry of rinkite, Na2Ca4REETi (Si2O7)2OF3. Min. Magazine. 75(6), 2755-2774.

Sokolova, E., Hawthorne, F.C., Pautov, L.A., Agakhanov, A.A. and Karpenko, V.Yu. (2011):The crystal structure and crystal chemistry of mendeleevite-(Ce), (Cs,)6(,Cs)6(,K)6(REE,Ca,)30(Si70O175)(H2O,OH,F,)35, a potential microporous material. Min. Magazine. 75(5), 2583-2596.

Sokolova, E., Cámara, F. and Hawthorne, F.C. (2011): From structure topology to chemical composition. XI. Titanium silicates: crystal structures of innelite-1T and innelite-2M from Inagli massif, Yakutia, Russia, and the crystal chemistry of innelite. Min. Magazine. 75(4), 2495-2518.

Figure 1. The crystal structure of mendeleevite-(Ce) is ranked as the 4^th most complex mineral structure after paulungite (1^st), fantappieite (2^nd) and sacrofanite (3^d).

Figure 2. Working on mendeleevite-(Ce) at the Fersman Mineralogical Museum, Moscow, Russia.