Formula: Mn2+Al2Si2O6(OH)4
Inosilicate (chain silicate), carpholite group, forms a series with
ferrocarpholite
Specific gravity: 3.0
Hardness: 5 -5½
Streak: White
Colour: Straw-yellow
Solubility: Insoluble in acids
Common impurities: Ti,Fe,V,Zn,Mg,Ca,Na,K
Environments:
Metamorphic environments
Hydrothermal environments
Carpholite is a manganese-bearing mineral that occurs in hydrothermal veins in
low-grade metamorphosed
shale (HOM, Dana) associated with
sudoite, garnet,
chloritoid and fluorite
(HOM). It is a mineral of the
eclogite facies.
Localities
At the type locality, Horní Slavkov, Sokolov District, Karlovy Vary Region, Czech Republic, carpholite is
associated with fluorite and quartz
in tin deposits
(Dana).
At the Sawtooth batholith, Idaho, USA, a lithium, potassium, fluorine bearing
carpholite has been found as
needles in miarolitic cavities. The associated minerals are quartz,
microcline, albite,
beryl, topaz,
bertrandite, zinnwaldite,
fluorite, hematite and
apatite. The nature of the occurence indicates a relatively low pressure
and medium temperature environment for its origin
(AM 74.1084-1090).
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