Wavellite. Collected by John Rice, August, 1987, from Montgomery County, Arkansas. Mineral collection of Bringham Young University Department of Geology, Provo, Utah. Photograph by Andrew Silver. BYU index 9-3038a, Al3(PO4)2(OH,F)3·5H2O. United States Geological Survey
| Wavellite |
|
| Wavellite from Poland |
| General |
| Category |
Phosphate mineral |
| Chemical formula |
Al3(PO4)2(OH,F)3·5H2O |
| Identification |
| Color |
Green to yellowish-green and yellow, brown, white and colorless |
| Crystal habit |
spherical, radial aggregates; striated prisms; crusty to stalactitic |
| Crystal system |
Orthorhombic - Dipyramidal |
| Cleavage |
[110] Perfect, [101] Good |
| Fracture |
Fibrous |
| Mohs Scale hardness |
3.5 - 4 |
| Luster |
Vitreous to resinous, pearly. |
| Refractive index |
nα = 1.518 - 1.535 nβ = 1.524 - 1.543 nγ = 1.544 - 1.561 |
| Optical Properties |
Biaxial (+) |
| Birefringence |
δ = 0.026 |
| Pleochroism |
Weak |
| Streak |
White |
| Specific gravity |
2.3 - 2.4 |
| Diaphaneity |
Translucent |
| References |
[1][2][3] |
Wavellite is a phosphate mineral, normally translucent green. It is found in fractures in aluminous metamorphic rock, in hydrothermal regions and in phosphate rock deposits.
Named after William Wavell (?-1829) of England who discovered the mineral in a quarry in Devon, England in 1805. It is found in a wide variety of locations notably in the Mount Ida, Arkansas area in the Ouachita Mountains.
Hydrated aluminium phosphate has the chemical formula:
Al3(PO4)2(OH,F)3·5H2O
See also
* List of minerals
References
- ^ http://rruff.geo.arizona.edu/doclib/hom/wavellite.pdf Mineral Handbook
- ^ http://webmineral.com/data/Wavellite.shtml Webmineral
- ^ http://www.mindat.org/min-4250.html Mindat
List of minerals
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