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Formula: Zn2Fe2+(PO4)2.4H2O
Hydrated phosphate, a zinc-bearing mineral
Crystal System: Monoclinic
Specific gravity: 3.08 to 3.13 measured, 3.12 calculated
Hardness: 3 to 3½
Streak: White
Colour: Bright blue-green to colourless, colourless in transmitted light
Luminescence: Fluoresces violet in short wave UV
Solubility: Soluble in acids
Common impurities: Mn
Environments
Pegmatites
Hydrothermal environments
Phosphophyllite typically occurs as a secondary mineral in zoned
complex granite
pegmatites, as an alteration product of
sphalerite and
iron-manganese phosphates.
Phosphophyllite also occurs in hydrothermal vein deposits
(HOM).
Localities
At Reaphook Hill, Martins Well station, South Flinders Ranges, Flinders Ranges, South Australia, phosphophyllite is
associated with hillite in a gossan-like
mass covering unmetamorphosed siltstone. Other mineral associated with
hillite here include scholzite,
tarbuttite, parahopeite,
zinc-bearing collinsite and
switzerite
(Minrec 35.4.352).
At the type locality, the Hagendorf North Pegmatite, Hagendorf, Waidhaus, Neustadt an der Waldnaab District, Upper
Palatinate, Bavaria, Germany, phosphophyllite occurs in a zoned granite
pegmatite. Associated minerals include
triplite, triphylite,
sphalerite, apatite,
vivianite, rockbridgeite,
strengite, fluorapatite,
fairfieldite and phosphosiderite
(Dana, HOM, Mindat).
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