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Formula: MgAl2(PO4)2(OH)2
Anhydrous phosphate containing hydroxyl, lazulite group
Crystal System: Monoclinic
Specific gravity: 3.122 to 3.24 measured, 3.144 calculated
Hardness: 5½ to 6
Streak: White
Colour: Blue, sky-blue, bluish white
Solubility: Slowly soluble in hot acids
Common impurities: Fe,Mn
Environments
Pegmatites
Sedimentary environments
Metamorphic environments
Lazulite occurs disseminated in quartzite,
schist and quartz veins, in the
border zones of complex
granite pegmatites,
and in sediments.
In metamorphic environments associated minerals include quartz,
andalusite, rutile,
kyanite, corundum,
muscovite, pyrophyllite,
dumortierite, wagnerite,
svanbergite and berlinite.
In pegmatites associated minerals include
albite, quartz,
muscovite, tourmaline and
beryl
(HOM)
Localities
Near Werfen, St. Johann im Pongau District, Salzburg, Austria, lazulite occurs with
wagnerite
in quartz carbonate veins in clay
slate
(Dana).
At the type locality, Freßnitzgraben, Krieglach, Bruck-Mürzzuschlag District, Styria, Austria, lazulite occurs
associated with
wagnerite
(Mindat).
At the Cotamitos mine, Cerro de Potosí, Potosí City, Potosí Department, Bolivia, lazulite occurs as
pseudomorphs with sericite after
orthoclase
(Dana).
At Datas, Minas Gerais, Brazil, lazulite occurs in quartz veins in
sericitic quartzite with
quartz, sericite and
rutile
(Dana, AM 35.1-18).
At Tribeč Mountain, Kovarce, Topoľčany, Nitra Region, Slovakia, lazulite occurs in
quartz veins
in quartzite
(Dana).
At the Västanå Iron Mine, Näsum, Bromölla, Skåne County, Sweden, lazulite occurs with
berlinite
(Dana).
At Hålsjöberg, Torsby, Värmland County, Sweden, lazulite occurs with
svanbergite
(Dana).
At Markleeville, Alpine county, California, USA, lazulite occurs with
andalusite and
rutile in garnetiferous
quartzite
(Dana).
At Breyfogle Mine, Panamint Treasure claim group, Gold Hill, Gold Hill District, Carbonate District, Panamint Mts, Inyo
county, California, USA,
lazulite occurs in a quartz vein associated with
quartz,
muscovite and rutile
(AM 35.1-18).
At Champion Mine (Black Eagle), White Mountain Peak, White Mountains, Mono county, California, USA, lazulite occurs
in a
quartz dike in schist, with
andalusite, quartz,
calcite and hematite
(Dana, AM 35.1-18).
At Graves Mountain, Lincoln county, Georgia, USA, lazulite occurs in
sericitic
quartzite with quartz,
kyanite, rutile,
staurolite, garnet and
pyrophyllite
(Dana, AM 35.1-18).
At the Keyes Mica Quarries, Orange, Grafton County, New Hampshire, USA, the
pegmatites are
beryl-type
rare-element (RE) pegmatites.
The Number 1 mine exposed a pegmatite that shows the most
complex zonation and diverse mineralogy of any of the Keyes
pegmatites. Six zones are distinguished, as follows, proceeding
inward from the margins of the pegmatite:
(1) quartz-muscovite-plagioclase
border zone, 2.5 to 30.5 cm thick
(2) plagioclase-quartz-muscovite
wall zone, 0.3 to 2.4 metres thick
(3) plagioclase-quartz-perthite-biotite
outer intermediate zone, 0.3 to 5.2 metres thick, with lesser muscovite
(4) quartz-plagioclase-muscovite
middle intermediate zone, 15.2 to 61.0 cm thick
(5) perthite-quartz inner intermediate zone, 0.9 to 4.6 meters thick
(6) quartz core, 1.5 to 3.0 metres across
The inner and outer intermediate zones contained perthite crystals up to
1.2 meters in size that were altered to vuggy
albite-muscovite with
fluorapatite crystals. This unit presumably was the source of the
albite, muscovite,
fluorapatite, quartz and other
crystallised minerals found in pieces of vuggy albite
rock on the dumps next to the mine.
The middle intermediate zone produced sheet mica with accessory minerals including
tourmaline, graftonite,
triphylite, vivianite,
pyrite, pyrrhotite, and
beryl crystals to 30.5 cm long and 12.7 cm across.
Lazulite is found as small, bright blue patches with graftonite.
Scorzalite occurs in close association with the lazulite
(R&M 97.4.320).
At Clubb Mountain Kyanite Prospects, Lincolnton, Gaston county, North Carolina, USA, lazulite occurs in a
quartz-kyanite vein in
quartzite with quartz,
kyanite, rutile,
staurolite, garnet and
pyrophyllite
(AM 35.1-18).
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