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Phosphate minerals

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serrabrancaite
Serrabrancaite is a mineral with the chemical formula MnPO4•H2O and which is named for the locality where it was found, the Alto Serra Branca Pegmatite. The Alto Serra Branca mine has been in operation since the 1940s. It is located in Paraiba, Brazil near a village named Pedra Lavrada. Tantalite is the main mineral mined here. Specimens of serrabrancaite are kept in the Mineralogical Collections of both the Bergakademie Freiberg, Germany and the Martin-Luther Universität Halle, Institut für Geologische Wissenschaften.
montgomeryite
Montgomeryite is a phosphate mineral with the chemical formula Ca4MgAl4(PO4)6(OH)4·12H2O. The mineral was discovered in Fairfield, Utah in a variscite nodule. Montgomeryite is a very rare mineral and can only be found in a few places in the world.
taranakite
Taranakite is a hydrated alkali iron-aluminium phosphate mineral with the chemical formula .
ferraioloite
Ferraioloite is a rare mineral with formula MgMn2+4(Fe2+0.5Al0.5)4Zn4(PO4)8(OH)4(H2O)20. It is related to the phosphate mineral falsterite. Ferraioloite was found in pegmatites of the Foote Lithium Company Mine, Cleveland County, North Carolina, US. The name honors James (Jim) A. Ferraiolo (1947–2014).
hazenite
Hazenite is a hydrous phosphate mineral with chemical formula of , therefore a hydrous alkali magnesium phosphate. It is a member of the struvite group.
afmite
Afmite is phosphate mineral with the chemical formula Al(OH)(PO)(POOH)·HO. It is named for the French mineralogy group Association Française de Microminéralogie, or AFM for short.
coconinoite
Coconinoite is a uranium ore that was discovered in Coconino County, Arizona. It is a phosphate mineral; or uranyl phosphate mineral along with other subclass uranium U6+ minerals like blatonite, boltwoodite, metazeunerite and rutherfordine.
kosnarite
Kosnarite is an alkali zirconium phosphate mineral (KZr2(PO4)3) named after an expert of pegmatites Richard Andrew "Rich" Kosnar, well-known mineral dealer and collector from Colorado (November 13, 1946 - January 15, 2007). Kosnarite contains potassium, oxygen, phosphorus, and zirconium with sodium, rubidium, hafnium, manganese and fluorine (Na, Rb, Hf, Mn, and F) being common impurities found in kosnarite. It was discovered in nature for the first time in 1991 by Vandall T. King. Samples that were found in granitic pegmatites from the Mount Mica Quarry, Paris, Oxford County, Maine, US were se
greifensteinite
Greifensteinite is beryllium phosphate mineral with formula: Ca2Fe2+5Be4(PO4)6(OH)4·6H2O. It is the Fe2+ dominant member of the roscherite group. It crystallizes in the monoclinic crystal system and typically forms prismatic dark olive green crystals.
xanthoxenite
Xanthoxenite is a rare calcium iron(III) phosphate mineral with formula: Ca4Fe3+2(PO4)4(OH)2·3H2O. It occurs as earthy pale to brownish yellow incrustations and lath shaped crystals. It crystallizes in the triclinic crystal system. It occurs as an alteration product of triphylite in pegmatites. It occurs associated with apatite, whitlockite, childrenite–eosphorite, laueite, strunzite, stewartite, mitridatite, amblygonite and siderite.
millisite
Millisite is a rare phosphate mineral. The mineral was named after Mr. F. T. Millis of Lehi, Utah. Millisite can be found in altered phosphate deposits.
robertsite
Robertsite, Ca3(Mn3+)4[(OH)3| (PO4)2]2·3(H2O) (alternatively formulated Ca2(Mn3(PO4)3O2)(H2O)3), is a secondary phosphate mineral named for Willard Lincoln Roberts (1923–1987), mineralogist and professor at South Dakota School of Mines in Rapid City, South Dakota.
segelerite
Segelerite is a complex phosphate mineral with formula CaMgFe3+OH(PO4)2·H2O. It occurs in pegmatites and forms striking green or chartreuse crystals. It was discovered in 1974 in the Black Hills of South Dakota by an amateur mineralogist from New York, Curt G. Segeler (1901–1989), after whom it is named.
wilancookite
Wilancookite is a very rare and complex beryllium phosphate with the chemical formula . Wilancookite was discovered in pegmatite of the Lavra Ponte do Piauí complex, Jequitinhonha, Minas Gerais, Brazil.
fluorcaphite
Fluorcaphite is a mineral with the chemical formula . It is found in the Kola Peninsula in Russia. Its crystals are hexagonal (dipyramidal class) and are transparent with a vitreous luster. It is light to bright yellow, leaves a white streak and is rated five on the Mohs Scale. Fluorcaphite is radioactive.
grayite
Grayite, ThPO4·(H2O), is a thorium phosphate mineral of the Rabdophane group first discovered in 1957 by S.H.U. Bowie in Rhodesia. It is of moderate hardness occurring occasionally in aggregates of hexagonal crystals occasionally but more commonly in microgranular/cryptocrystalline masses. Due to its thorium content, grayite displays some radioactivity although it is only moderate and the mineral displays powder XRD peaks without any metamict-like effects. The color of grayite is most commonly observed as a light to dark reddish brown but has also been observed as lighter yellows with grayish
panethite
Panethite, chemical formula , is a rare phosphate mineral that was only found in one meteorite on Earth. It was originally found in the Dayton meteorite in Ohio. It is classified as H-M symbol (2/m) with space group of P21/n. It is amber in color. It was named in the honor of Friedrich Adolf Paneth (1887–1958), a German chemist who made many contributions toward the discovery of the origin of the universe, and especially studies of meteorites.
merrillite
Merrillite is a calcium phosphate mineral with the chemical formula Ca9NaMg(PO4)7. It is an anhydrous, sodium-rich member of the merrillite group of minerals.
kovdorskite
Kovdorskite, Mg2PO4(OH)·3H2O, is a rare, hydrated, magnesium phosphate mineral. It was first described by Kapustin et al., and is found only in the Kovdor Massif near Kovdor, Kola Peninsula, Russia. It is associated with collinsite, magnesite, dolomite, hydrotalcite, apatite, magnetite, and forsterite.
atencioite
Atencioite is a calcium iron phosphate mineral with the chemical formula CaFeMgBe(PO)(OH)·6HO. Its type locality is Divino das Laranjeiras, Minas Gerais, Brazil. It was named after Daniel Atencio, a mineralogy professor at the University of São Paulo.
hagendorfite
Hagendorfite is an iron phosphate mineral with the chemical formula of and is named after where the mineral was discovered, Hagendorf-Süd, Bavaria, Germany.
lipscombite
thumb|right|Lipscombite: Small yellowish-green crystals, Lichtenberg Absetzer Mine dump, Ronneburg Uranium deposit, Gera, Thuringia, Germany thumb|right|Lipscombite: Small black crystals on dark background. Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History
lulzacite
Lulzacite is a strontium-containing phosphate mineral with the chemical formula Sr2Fe2+(Fe2+,Mg)2Al4(PO4)4(OH)10.
uramphite
Uramphite is a rarely-found phosphate mineral in the "phosphate, arsenate and vanadate" mineral class with chemical composition (NH4)2[UO2PO4]2·6H2O from which it is seen to be a hydrated ammonium uranyl phosphate.
steinmetzite
Steinmetzite is a very rare phosphate mineral with formula Zn2Fe(PO4)2(OH)•3H2O. It was discovered among pegmatites of Hagendorf in Germany, that are famous for rare phosphate minerals. Steinmetzite is chemically related to phosphophyllite and other zinc iron phosphates, namely plimerite and zinclipscombite.
zincoberaunite
Zincoberaunite is an iron and zinc phosphate mineral, the Zn analogue of beraunite. It was first described by Chukanov et al. for an occurrence in Hagendorf Sud pegmatite in Germany. Zincoberaunite occurs as a secondary mineral as an alteration product of primary phosphate minerals in granite pegmatites.
penikisite
Penikisite was discovered by Alan Kulan and Gunar Penikis near Rapid Creek, Yukon Territory. The mineral is a member of the bjarebyite group along with kulanite, ideally , and bjarebyite, ideally . It is among several new minerals that have been discovered in the Rapid Creek and Big Fish areas of Yukon Territory. Kulanite is similar in many ways to penikisite in appearance and properties. The chemical formula for penikisite is . It has a hardness of about 4 and a density of 3.79 g/cm3. Penikisite is unique among the bjarebyite group in being monoclinic and has a biaxial optical class. It
skorpionite
Skorpionite (IMA2005-010) is a zinc phosphate mineral with chemical formula Ca3Zn2(PO4)2CO3(OH)2·H2O, originally found in the Skorpion Mine and named after it (Rosh Pinah, Lüderitz district, ǁKaras Region, Namibia).
malhmoodite
Malhmoodite is a phosphate mineral first discovered at a mine called Union Carbide in Wilson Springs, Arkansas, United States. This mine is 10 km west of Magnet Cove, an alkaline igneous complex, and Union Carbide is in a contact region of alkalic igneous rocks and surrounding sedimentary rocks. The mineral has been approved by the Commission on New Minerals and Mineral Names, IMA, to be named for the late Bertha K. Malhmood, the Administrative Assistant of the Branch of Analytical Laboratories, U.S. Geological Survey.
nevadaite
Nevadaite is a rare phosphate mineral with a chemical formula of {| |Cu2Zn0.02V3+0.98Al1.15Al8P7.9O32F8.37(OH)1.63(H2O)21.65 |- |}
hotsonite
Hotsonite is a mineral whose name derives from the farm Hotson 42, located 65 km west of the town of Pofadder, in Bushmanland, northwestern Cape Province, South Africa. This is an arid region with an average rainfall of 3 inches per annum. The name was approved by the Commission on New Minerals and Mineral Names of the International Mineralogical Association (July 1983) It is chemically related to sanjuanite and kribergite.
odontolite
Odontolite, also called bone turquoise or fossil turquoise or occidental turquoise, is fossil bone or ivory that has been traditionally thought to have been altered by turquoise or similar phosphate minerals such as vivianite.
belovite-(La)
Belovite-(La) () is the lanthanum analogue of belovite-(Ce). It is a member in the belovite group being a subgroup of the apatite group.
monazite-(La)
Monazite-(La) is a relatively rare representative of the monazite group, with lanthanum being the dominant rare earth element in its structure. As such, it is the lanthanum analogue of monazite-(Ce), monazite-(Nd), and monazite-(Sm). It is also the phosphorus analogue of gasparite-(La). The group contains simple rare earth phosphate minerals with the general formula of ATO4, where A = Ce, La, Nd, or Sm (or, rarely, Bi), and B = P or, rarely, As. The A site may also bear Ca and Th.
ximengite
Ximengite is a phosphate mineral discovered in and named for the Ximeng tin-mining district in China. Chemically, it is bismuth phosphate.
perhamite
Perhamite is a phosphate mineral with the formula Ca3Al7(SiO4)3(PO4)4(OH)3·16.5(H2O). It occurs in rare isolated masses in amblygonite-rich pegmatite deposits throughout the world. It was discovered in platy sheed form of 1mm hexagonal crystals. It was first described in 1977 by P.J. Dunn and D.E. Appleman from pegmatite collected from Bell Pit, Newry, Maine. Other specimens have been found in Kapunda, South Australia, in Silver Coin mine near Humboldt County, Nevada and various locations throughout Europe.
xenophyllite
Xenophyllite is a rare phosphate mineral with the chemical formula Na4Fe7(PO4)6.
zinclipscombite
Zinclipscombite is a dark-green to brown zinc iron phosphate mineral with the formula Zn(Fe3+)2(PO4)2(OH)2. It occurs as fibrous spheres and exhibits tetragonal crystal structure.
satterlyite
Satterlyite is a hydroxyl bearing iron phosphate mineral. The mineral can be found in phosphatic shales and was first discovered in the Big Fish River area in Yukon Territory, Canada.
lithiophosphate
Lithiophosphate is a natural form of (pure) lithium orthophosphate. It is an exceedingly rare mineral, occurring in some special types of pegmatites.
samuelsonite
Samuelsonite is a complex mineral that is found near North Groton, Grafton County, New Hampshire, US. Additionally, it is most commonly found as a secondary mineral in granite pegmatite. Samuelsonite is named after Peter B. Samuelson, a prospector from Rumney, New Hampshire.
xiangjiangite
Xiangjiangite is a phosphate mineral discovered near and named for the Xiang Jiang River in China. It was approved by the IMA in 1978, and was named after its locality.
zadovite
Zadovite is an extremely rare mineral with formula BaCa6[(SiO4)(PO4)](PO4)2F. Together with its vanadium-analogue, aradite, zadovite occur in paralavas (type of pyrometamorphic rocks). Both minerals have structures similar to nabimusaite, and these three minerals occur in the Hatrurim Formation of Israel. Structure of all three minerals is related to that of hatrurite. Minerals combining barium, phosphorus and silicon together are scarce.
monazite-(Nd)
Monazite-(Nd) is a relatively rare representative of the monazite group, with neodymium being the dominant rare earth element in its structure. This variety of monazite is typically colored bright rose-red. It is the neodymium analogue of monazite-(Ce), monazite-(La), and monazite-(Sm). The group contains simple rare earth phosphate minerals with the general formula of ATO4, where A = Ce, La, Nd, or Sm (or, rarely, Bi), and B = P or, rarely, As. The A site may also bear Ca and Th.
waylandite
Waylandite is the phosphate analogue of arsenowaylandite and the aluminum analogue of zaïrite. The mineral was approved by the IMA in 1962, and was published the same year. Waylandite was named in honor of Edgar James Wayland. It is a member of the alunite supergroup, and a member of the plumbogummite – also known as crandallite – group. So far, only two bismuth-bearing members of the alunite supergroup are known, one of which is waylandite, alongside its ferric iron analogue zaïrite.
zigrasite
Zigrasite is a phosphate mineral with the chemical formula of . Zigrasite was discovered and is only known to occur in the Dunton Quarry at Oxford County, Maine. Zigrasite was specifically found in the giant 1972 gem tourmaline-bearing pocket at the Dunton Quarry. Zigrasite is named after James Zigras who originally discovered and brought the mineral to attention.
florencite-(Sm)
Florencite-(Sm) is a very rare mineral of the plumbogummite group (alunite supergroup) with simplified formula SmAl3(PO4)2(OH)6. Samarium in florencite-(Sm) is substituted by other rare earth elements, mostly neodymium. It does not form separate crystals, but is found as zones in florencite-(Ce), which is cerium-dominant member of the plumbogummite group. Florencite-(Sm) is also a samarium-analogue of florencite-(La) (lanthanum-dominant) and waylandite (bismuth-dominant), both being aluminium-rich minerals.
metavivianite
Metavivianite () is a hydrated iron phosphate mineral found in a number of geological environments. As a secondary mineral it is typically formed from oxidizing vivianite. Metavivianite is typically found as dark blue or dark green prismatic to flattened crystals.
gatehouseite
Gatehouseite is a manganese hydroxy phosphate mineral with formula Mn5(PO4)2(OH)4. First discovered in 1987, it was identified as a new mineral species in 1992 and named for Bryan M. K. C. Gatehouse (born 1932). , it is known from only one mine in South Australia.
stracherite
Stracherite is a mineral discovered at the Hatrurim Formation in Israel, by Evgeny Galuskin of the University of Silesia in Katowice, Poland, and colleagues. The mineral has a surprising structure composed of a unique mix of elements. It is the first carbonate-bearing member of a group of very rare minerals called the nabimusaite group, named for a similar mineral that also occurs at the Haturim Formation. Galuskin named the mineral in honor of Glenn Stracher of East Georgia State College, USA, an expert on uncontrolled coal fires.
xenotime-(Gd)
Xenotime-(Gd) is the gadolinium endpoint of Xenotime with the ideal formula . It is one of the few known gadolinium-dominant rare earth minerals.
falsterite
Falsterite is a rare phosphate mineral with the formula Ca2MgMn2+2(Fe2+0.5Fe3+0.5)4Zn4(PO4)8(OH)4(H2O)14. It is a pegmatitic mineral, related to the currently approved mineral ferraioloite.
fluorwavellite
Fluorwavellite is a rare phosphate mineral with formula Al3(PO4)2(OH)2F•5H2O. As suggested by its name, it is a fluorine-analogue of wavellite (hence its name), a rather common phosphate mineral. Chemically similar aluminium fluoride phosphate minerals include fluellite, kingite and mitryaevaite.
monazite-(Sm)
Monazite-(Sm) is an exceedingly rare representative of the monazite group, with samarium being the dominant rare earth element in its structure. It is the samarium analogue of monazite-(Ce), monazite-(La), and monazite-(Nd). It is only the second known mineral with samarium being the mineral-forming element, after florencite-(Sm). The group contains simple rare earth phosphate minerals with the general formula of ATO4, where A = Ce, La, Nd, or Sm (or, rarely, Bi), and B = P or, rarely, As. The A site may also bear Ca and Th.
achyrophanite
Achyrophanite ((K,Na)3(Fe3+,Ti,Al,Mg)5O2(AsO4)5) is a yellow mineral, discovered in 2018 and described in 2025.