Fluorphosphohedyphane

fluorphosphohedyphane

plumbophyllite

plumbotsumite

ferrisurite

Images

Formula: Ca2Pb3(PO4)3F
Anhydrous phosphate, hedyphane group, apatite supergroup
Crystal System: Hexagonal
Specific gravity: 5.445 calculated for the empirical formula
Hardness: 4
Streak: White
Colour: Colourless
Luminescence: Not fluorescent under UV
Solubility: Decomposed quickly in hydrochloric acid and the residue dissolves slowly
Common impurities:
Environments

Sedimentary environments
Metamorphic environments

Localities

At the Shizhuyuan Mine, Dongpo ore field, Yizhang Co., Chenzhou, Hunan, China, fluorphosphohedyphane has been found (Mindat photo).
Fluorphosphohedyphane from the Shizhuyuan Mine - Image

The type locality, the Blue Bell Mine, Zzyzx, Soda Mountains, Silver Lake Mining District, San Bernardino County, California, USA, exploits the oxidation zone of a small lead - copper - zinc - silver deposit. Fluorphosphohedyphane is found in an adit, in cracks and narrow veins in a highly siliceous quartzite-like hornfels in a fractured and chaotic region of limestone showing irregular skarn formation. These cracks appear initially to have been largely filled with cerussite, silica, and/or chrysocolla. Species observed in direct association with fluorphosphohedyphane include cerussite, chrysocolla, fluorite, fluorapatite, goethite, gypsum, mimetite, opal, phosphohedyphane, plumbogummite, plumbophyllite, plumbotsumite, quartz and wulfenite. Other species identified nearby include beudantite, boleite, calcite, celestine, creaseyite, dioptase, ferrisurite, hemimorphite, mottramite, sepiolite and vanadinite. The conditions of formation must have been neutral to basic because fluorphosphohedyphane is unstable in even weak acids
Fluorphosphohedyphane forms hexagonal prisms with pyramidal terminations. Individual crystals are up to about 0.5 mm in length and 0.1 mm across, and are commonly doubly terminated. Crystals often occur in sub-parallel intergrowths and irregular clusters; they are colourless and transparent with subadamantine lustre (AM 96.2.423-429).
Fluorphosphohedyphane from the Blue Bell Mine - Image

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