Variscite Mineral Data

Variscite Mineral Data +

[Mineral Auctions] [Register] [Current Auctions] [Log In] [www.danweinrich.com]
Dan Weinrich Auctions
Specializing In Live Weekly Auctions Of Top Quality Mineral Specimens
The Place To Find Great Specimens At Great Prices!

General Variscite Information

Chemical Formula:

AlPO4·2(H2O)

Composition:

Molecular Weight = 157.98 gm

Aluminum 17.08 % Al 32.27 % Al₂O₃

Phosphorus 19.61 % P 44.92 % P₂O₅

Hydrogen 2.55 % H 22.81 % H₂O

Oxygen 60.76 % O

______ ______

100.00 % 100.00 % = TOTAL OXIDE

Empirical Formula:

Al(PO₄)·2(H₂O)

Environment:

High-phosphate, meteoric waters acting on aluminous rocks.

IMA Status:

Valid Species (Pre-IMA) 1837

Locality:

Messbach, Plauen, Vogtland (Variscia), Thuringen, Germany Link to MinDat.org Location Data.

Name Origin:

Named after Variscia, the historical name of Vogtland, Germany.

Synonym:

Barrandite

Bolivarite

Lucinite

Utahlite

Variscite Image

Images:

Variscite

Comments: Polished slice of lime green variscite.
Location: Fairfield, Utah. USA. Scale: 5.5 x 8.5 cm x 3 mm.
© Dan Weinrich

Images:

Variscite

Comments: Deep rasberry red drusy micro crystals of variscite in vuggy matrix.
Location: Iron Monarch quarry, Iron Knob, South Australia, Australia. Scale: Picture size 1 cm.
© Tom Loomis / Dakota Matrix

Images:

Variscite

Comments: Brilliant cherry red well-defined, clusters of variscite crystals forming tiny single spheroids on white quartz.
Location: Boa Vista, Galileia, Minas Gerais, Brazil. Scale: Sphere size 0.3 mm.
© Tom Loomis / Dakota Matrix

Variscite Crystallography

Axial Ratios:

a:b:c =1.0248:1:1.7784

Cell Dimensions:

a = 9.9, b = 9.66, c = 17.18, Z = 16; V = 1,642.99 Den(Calc)= 2.55

Crystal System:

Orthorhombic - DipyramidalH-M Symbol (2/m 2/m 2/m) Space Group: Pcab

$Help on X Ray Diffraction:$ X Ray Diffraction:

By Intensity(I/I_o): 4.29(1), 5.39(0.6), 4.83(0.45),

Crystal Structure:

Mouse
drag1 - LMB Manipulate Structure
drag2 - RMB Resize/Rotate
Keyboard
S - Stereo Pair on/off
H - Help Screen
I - Data Info
A - Atoms On/Off
P - Polyhedra On/Off
B - Bonds On/Off
Help on Above

Kniep R , Mootz D , Vegas A , Acta Crystallographica, Section B , 33 (1977) p.263-265, Variscite, Locality: Montgomery County, Arkansas, USA

Physical Properties of Variscite

Cleavage:

[010] Perfect

Color:

Blue green, Colorless, Green, Light green.

Density:

2.5 - 2.52, Average = 2.5

Diaphaniety:

Transparent to Translucent

Fracture:

Conchoidal - Fractures developed in brittle materials characterized by smoothly curving surfaces, (e.g. quartz).

Habit:

Encrustations - Forms crust-like aggregates on matrix.

Habit:

Massive - Uniformly indistinguishable crystals forming large masses.

Habit:

Reniform - "Kidney like" in shape (e.g.. hematite).

Hardness:

4-5 - Fluorite-Apatite

Luminescence:

None.

Luster:

Earthy (Dull)

Streak:

white

Optical Properties of Variscite

Gladstone-Dale:

CI meas= -0.023 (Excellent) - where the CI = (1-KPDmeas/KC)
CI calc= -0.007 (Superior) - where the CI = (1-KPDcalc/KC)
KPDcalc= 0.2281,KPDmeas= 0.2317,KC= 0.2266

Optical Data:

Biaxial (-), a=1.563, b=1.588, g=1.594, bire=0.0310, 2V(Calc)=50, 2V(Meas)=moderate. Dispersion r < v weak.

Pleochroism (x):

none.

Pleochroism (y):

none.

Pleochroism (z):

none.

Calculated Properties of Variscite

Electron Density:

r_electron=2.58 gm/cc
note: r_Variscite=2.55 gm/cc.

Fermion Index

Fermion Index = 0.00029
Boson Index = 0.99971

Photoelectric:

PE_Variscite= 1.49 barns/electron
U=PE_Variscite x r_electron= 3.84 barns/cc.

Radioactivity:

GRapi = 0 (Gamma Ray American Petroleum Institute Units)

Variscite is Not Radioactive

Variscite Classification

Dana Class:

40.4.1.1 (40)Hydrated Phosphates, etc

(40.4)where A+++ XO4 · x(H2O)

(40.4.1)Dana Group

40.4.1.1 Variscite AlPO4·2(H2O) Pcab 2/m 2/m 2/m

40.4.1.2 Strengite FePO4·2(H2O) Pcab 2/m 2/m 2/m

40.4.1.3 Scorodite FeAsO4·2(H2O) Pcab 2/m 2/m 2/m

40.4.1.4 Mansfieldite AlAsO4·2(H2O) Pcab 2/m 2/m 2/m

40.4.1.5 Yanomamite In(AsO4)·2(H2O) P bca 2/m 2/m 2/m

Strunz Class:

VII/C.09-50 VII - Phosphates, Arsenates and Vanadates

VII/C - Water-bearing phosphates without unfamiliar anions. cations of medium and small size: Be and Mn, Fe, Cu, Zn, Mg

VII/C.09 - Variscite group

VII/C.09-10 Metavariscite AlPO4·2(H2O) P 2₁/n 2/m

VII/C.09-20 Phosphosiderite FePO4·2(H2O) P 2₁/n 2/m

VII/C.09-30 Kolbeckite ScPO4·2(H2O) P 2₁2₁2₁ 2 2 2

VII/C.09-35 Malhmoodite FeZr(PO4)2·4(H2O) P 2₁/c 2/m

VII/C.09-50 Variscite AlPO4·2(H2O) Pcab 2/m 2/m 2/m

VII/C.09-60 Strengite FePO4·2(H2O) Pcab 2/m 2/m 2/m

VII/C.09-70 Mansfieldite AlAsO4·2(H2O) Pcab 2/m 2/m 2/m

VII/C.09-80 Scorodite FeAsO4·2(H2O) Pcab 2/m 2/m 2/m

VII/C.09-85 Yanomamite In(AsO4)·2(H2O) P bca 2/m 2/m 2/m

VII/C.09-88 Parascorodite! FeAsO4·2(H2O) HEX ? Hex

VII/C.09-90 Koninckite FePO4·3(H2O)(?) Unk Tetra

Other Variscite Information

References:

NAME( Duda&Rejl90) PHYS. PROP.(Enc. of Minerals,2nd ed.,1990) OPTIC PROP.(Enc. of Minerals,2nd ed.,1990)

See Also:

Links to other databases for Variscite :
1 - Am. Min. Crystal Structure Database
2 - Amethyst Galleries' Mineral Gallery
3 - Athena
4 - CalTech Mineral Spectroscopy
5 - EUROmin Project
6 - Ecole des Mines de Paris
7 - Glendale Community College
8 - Google Images
9 - Google Scholar
10 - Handbook of Mineralogy (MinSocAm)
11 - Handbook of Mineralogy (UofA)
12 - HyperPhysics
13 - MinDAT
14 - MinMax(Deutsch)
15 - MinMax(English)
16 - Mineralienatlas (Deutsch)
17 - Philatelic Mineralogy
18 - QUT Mineral Atlas
19 - Ruff.Info
20 - Tradeshop.com - The Rainbow of Gems
21 - WWW-MINCRYST
22 - YupRocks

Search for Variscite using:

[ALTAVISTA] [AOL] [All-The-Web] [HotBot] [Ixquick] [MAMMA] [MSN.COM] [Netscape] [Scirus] [Teoma] [Wikipedia] [YAHOO]

Visit our Advertisers for Variscite :

AA Mineral Specimens

B & L Fine Minerals

Dan Weinrich Fine Minerals

Dan Weinrich Auctions

John Betts Fine Minerals

Mason's Minerals

Mineral News

Mineral of the Month Club

MineralsWeb Fine Minerals

The GeoZone

Wrights Rock Shop

Translate Variscite Mineral Data :

Ask about Variscite here :
Ask-A-Mineralogist from the Mineralogical Society of America
Mindat.org's Discussion Groups
Original Rockhounds Discussion Group
Rockhounds Discussion Group on Yahoo Groups
Mineral Discussion Forum from Fabre Minerals - also available in Español

Print or Cut-and-Paste your Variscite Specimen Label here :

Variscite

AlPO4·2(H2O)
Dana No: 40.4.1.1 Strunz No: VII/C.09-50
Locality:

Notes: