Triplite
| Triplite | |
|---|---|
| File:Triplite-t5105a.jpg Triplite from Alchuri, Shigar Valley, Baltistan, Pakistan (1.2 × 1 × 0.9 cm) | |
| General | |
| Category | Phosphate minerals |
| Formula | (Mn,Fe)2(PO4)(F,OH) |
| IMA symbol | Trl[1] |
| Strunz classification | 8.BB.10 |
| Crystal system | Monoclinic |
| Crystal class | Prismatic (2/m) (same H-M symbol) |
| Space group | I2/a (no. 15) |
| Unit cell | a = 11.97 Å, b = 6.52 Å c = 10.09 Å; β = 105.62°; Z = 8 |
| Identification | |
| Color | Chestnut to reddish brown, flesh-red, salmon-pink |
| Crystal habit | Prismatic, massive to nodular |
| Cleavage | Good on {001}, fair on {010}, poor on {100} |
| Fracture | Uneven to subconchoidal |
| Mohs scale hardness | 5 to 5.5 |
| Luster | Vitreous to resinous |
| Streak | White to brown |
| Diaphaneity | Translucent to opaque |
| Specific gravity | 3.5 – 3.9 |
| Optical properties | Biaxial (+) |
| Refractive index | nα=1.643–1.684, nβ=1.647–1.693, nγ=1.668–1.703 |
| Pleochroism | Distinct; yellow-brown to reddish brown |
| 2V angle | 25 – 76° |
| Dispersion | r > v, moderate to strong |
| Alters to | Alters to brownish black |
| References | [2][3][4][5] |
Triplite is a rare phosphate mineral with formula: (Mn, Fe)2PO4(F, OH). It occurs in phosphate-rich granitic pegmatites typically as irregular brown opaque masses. Triplite was first described in 1813 for an occurrence in Chanteloube, Limousin, France.[6] The name is from the Greek triplos for triple, in reference to the three cleavage directions.[3] In color and appearance, it is very similar to rhodocrosite, another manganese bearing mineral. Chemically, it is also quite similar to triploidite the difference being that triplite is fluorine dominant while triploidite is hydroxide dominant.
Occurrence
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Triplite is a rare fluoro-hydroxide phosphate mineral that forms in phosphate rich granite pegmatites and high temperature hydrothermal veins. It has been found in the United States in California, Nevada, Arizona, Colorado, South Dakota, Virginia, Connecticut, and Maine. Other occurrences include the Shigar Valley, Pakistan; China; Bavaria, Germany; Kimito, Finland and Karibib, Namibia.[3]
References
[edit | edit source]- ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
- ^ Handbook of Mineralogy
- ^ a b c Mindat.org
- ^ Webmineral data
- ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
- ^ Triplite Crystals from Colorado, C. W. Wolf and E. Wm. Heinrich, American Mineralogist, Volume 32, pages 518–526, 1947
External links
[edit | edit source]Error creating thumbnail: File missing Media related to Lua error in Module:Commons_link at line 62: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value). at Wikimedia Commons
