Zussmanite is named in honor of Jack Zussman (born 1924), Head of the University of Manchester's Department of Geology and co-author of Rock-Forming Minerals.
Glaucophane schists, commonly referred to as blueschist-facies, result from metamorphism of basaltic rocks and are usually located in folded geosynclinal terranes (Deer, Howie & Zussman 1993).
Zussmanite is commonly found with stilpnomelane and quartz, usually forming abundant porphyroblasts up to 1 mm in size, in the newly discovered locality in Southern Central Chile (Massonne et al. 1998).
The blueschist facies phyllosilicate mineral occurs as a result of subduction of oceanic crustal rocks and oceanic-continental margin sediments along convergent plate boundaries.
The possible iron (Fe2+) substitutes are mainly magnesium (Mg) with trace amounts that could include: manganese (Mn), aluminium (Al), iron3+ (Fe3+) and titanium (Ti) (Lopes-Vieira & Zussman 1969).
The optical properties result from virtually pure zussmanite that was separated from thin sections, approximately 200 micrometers thick, under a polarizing microscope by means of a microdrill.
The indices of refraction compare well with those determined be Agrell, Bown & McKie 1965 for the chemically different zussmanite from the Laytonville quarry (Massonne et al. 1998).