Leucophosphite Mineral Data
General Leucophosphite Information
Chemical Formula:
KFe+++2(PO4)2(OH)•2(H2O)
Composition:
Molecular Weight = 393.77 gm
Potassium 9.93 % K 11.96 % K2 O
Iron 28.37 % Fe 40.55 % Fe2 O3
Phosphorus 15.73 % P 36.05 % P2 O5
Hydrogen 1.28 % H 11.44 % H2 O
Oxygen 44.69 % O
______ ______
100.00 % 100.00 % = TOTAL OXIDE
Empirical Formula:
KFe3+ 2 (PO4 )2 (OH)•2(H2 O)
Environment:
Formed by reaction between bat or bird guano and earlier iron-bearing minerals; by hydrothermal alteration of iron-rich phosphates in complex granite pegmatites.
IMA Status:
Valid Species (Pre-IMA) 1932
Locality:
Sapucaia mine, Brazil. Link to MinDat.org Location Data.
Name Origin:
Named from the Greek for white and the phosphate in its composition.
Name Pronunciation:
Leucophosphite
Synonym:
ICSD 22048
PDF 37-466
Leucophosphite Image
Images:
Images:
Images:
Leucophosphite
Comments: Crude or etched purple crystals of leucophospiite to 1mm in vuggy triphylite matrix.
Location: Tip Top mine, Custer Co., South Dakota, USA.
Scale: Picture size 1 cm.
© Tom Loomis / Dakota Matrix
Leucophosphite Crystallography
Axial Ratios:
a:b:c =1.0128:1:1.0096
Cell Dimensions:
a = 9.782, b = 9.658, c = 9.751, Z = 4; beta = 102.24° V = 900.28 Den(Calc)= 2.91
Crystal System:
Monoclinic - Prismatic H-M Symbol (2/m) Space Group: P 21 /n
X Ray Diffraction:
By Intensity(I/Io ): 6.79(1), 3.061(0.7), 5.99(0.7),
Physical Properties of Leucophosphite
Cleavage:
{???} Indistinct
Color:
Brown, Brownish yellow, Colorless, Greenish, White.
Density:
2.948
Diaphaneity:
Transparent to Translucent
Fracture:
Brittle - Generally displayed by glasses and most non-metallic minerals.
Hardness:
3.5 - Copper Penny
Luster:
Vitreous - Dull
Streak:
white
Optical Properties of Leucophosphite
Gladstone-Dale:
CI meas = 0.043 (Good) - where the CI = (1-KPDmeas /KC ) CI calc = 0.031 (Excellent) - where the CI = (1-KPDcalc /KC )
KPDcalc = 0.2482,KPDmeas = 0.245,KC = 0.256 Ncalc = 1.75
Optical Data:
Biaxial (+), a=1.707, b=1.721, g=1.739, bire=0.0320
Calculated Properties of Leucophosphite
Electron Density:
Bulk Density (Electron Density)=2.87 gm/cc note: Specific Gravity of Leucophosphite =2.91 gm/cc.
Fermion Index:
Fermion Index = 0.0062417633 Boson Index = 0.9937582367
Photoelectric:
PELeucophosphite = 10.17 barns/electronU=PELeucophosphite x r electron = 29.15 barns/cc.
Radioactivity:
GRapi = 141.19 (Gamma Ray American Petroleum Institute Units)
Concentration of Leucophosphite per GRapi unit = 0.71 (%)
Estimated Radioactivity from Leucophosphite - barely detectable
Leucophosphite Classification
Dana Class:
42.11.06.01 (42) Hydrated Phosphates, etc., Containing Hydroxyl or Halogen
(42.11) where (AB)4 (XO4)3 Zq � x(H2O)
(42.11.06) Leucophosphite Group
42.11.06.01 Leucophosphite KFe2(PO4)2(OH)•2(H2O) P 21 /n 2/m
42.11.06.02 Tinsleyite KAl2(PO4)2(OH)•2(H2O) P 21 /n 2/m
42.11.06.03 Spheniscidite (NH4,K)(Fe,Al)2(PO4)2(OH)•2(H2O) P 21 /n 2/m
Strunz Class:
08.DH.10 08 - PHOSPHATES, ARSENATES, VANADATES
08.D - Phosphates, etc
08.DH -With large and medium-sized cations, (OH, etc.):RO4 < 1:1
08.DH.10 Leucophosphite KFe2(PO4)2(OH)•2(H2O) P 21 /n 2/m
08.DH.10 Spheniscidite (NH4,K)(Fe,Al)2(PO4)2(OH)•2(H2O) P 21 /n 2/m
08.DH.10 Tinsleyite KAl2(PO4)2(OH)•2(H2O) P 21 /n 2/m
Other Leucophosphite Information
References:
NAME( AntBidBlaNic4) PHYS. PROP.(Enc. of Minerals,2nd ed.,1990) OPTIC PROP.(Enc. of Minerals,2nd ed.,1990)
See Also:
Links to other databases for Leucophosphite :
1 - Am. Min. Crystal Structure Database
2 - Athena
3 - EUROmin Project
4 - Ecole des Mines de Paris
5 - GeoScienceWorld
6 - Google Images
7 - Google Scholar
8 - Handbook of Mineralogy (MinSocAm)
9 - Handbook of Mineralogy (UofA)
10 - MinDAT
11 - Mineralienatlas (Deutsch)
12 - Online Mineral Museum
13 - QUT Mineral Atlas
14 - Ruff.Info
15 - WWW-MINCRYST
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Leucophosphite
KFe+++2(PO4)2(OH)•2(H2O)
Dana No: 42.11.06.01 Strunz No: 08.DH.10
Locality:
Notes:
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