Viitaniemi, Finland

DESCRIPTION

GEOLOGY

Viitaniemi is a lithium pegmatite with a lot of phosphate minerals too. It is famous for it's multitude of secondary phosphate minerals. The pegmatite contains holes between feldspar crystals, and in these holes the phosphates grows.....

VISITS

1997-06-23
On the morning of the visit to Viitaniemi the rain was pouring down. Therefore it was decided to visit the local geological museum instead.
When we came to the museum it was closed. It was only open at some days in the week, so our party was split up in small groups for shopping and sightseeing. When we met at lunch back at the camping, one group started to mock us, since they were helped by a local girl that calld the owner of the museum, who came down and showed it for them.
After lunch the rain started to give up and we all wanted to take a chance at Viitaniemi. At the parkingplace we were met by the owner, an old man. He looked very happy when we payed him 50 fim per person (totally 900 fim).
Since we had been told that the road was not possible to drive by car, we loaded our stuffs in backbacks and started to walk the 2.5 km to the quarry.
When we reached the quarry the rain had stopped completely and the sun started to shine. ....

Litterature

Lahti Seppo I :
   On the granitic pegmatites of the Eräjärvi area
   in Orivesi, southern Finland.
   Geological survey of Finland, Bulletin 314, 1981.

Volborth, A :
   Phosphatminerale aus dem Lithiumpegmatit von Viitaniemi, Eräjärvi,
   Zentral-Finnland.
   Ann. Acad. Sci. Fennicae, Ser A III, Geol-Geogr., 39, 900p.

Mineral assemblage

Fluorite, Topaz, Columbite, Eosphorite, Manganeese apatite, These are the most commonly occuring minerals.

Löllingit, kassiterit, kolumbit, triplit, lithiophilit, amblygonit/montebrasit, apatit, morinitjezekit, hureaulit, beryllonit, hurlbutit, herderit, vayrynenit, purpurit, varulit, vivianit, strengit, eosphorit, kvarts, mikroklin, albit, muskovit, lepidolit, turmaliner, beryll, topas, pollucit, tucholit.

In the northern waste rock pile you can find :
väyrynenite, beryllonite, hurlbutite, hureaulite, eosphorite, fairfieldite, topaz.
In the eastern waste rock pile you can find :
Eosphorite, väyrynenite, crystallised manganapatite, topaz.
Also occuring tourmaline as schörl, verdelit and indigolit where the green verdelite is most common.

These minerals have been found :

Elements :
Antimone, Vismuth, Graphite.
Sulphides :
Sphalerite, Chalcopyrite, Germanite ???, Tetraedrite, Galena, Pyrrhotite, Pyrite, Markasite, Herzenbergite, Stibnite, Kermesite, Löllingite, Arsenopyrite, Molybdenite.
Halogenides :
Fluorite.
Oxides :
Valentinite, Senarmontite, Stibiconite, Cassiterite, Ferrotapiolite, Mangano wodginite, Ferro columbite, Ferro tantalite, Mangano tantalite, Mangano columbite, Microlite, Uran microlite, Uraninite, Limonite - Götite, Wad.
Phosphates :
Fluorapatite, Beryllonite, Hurlbutite, Herderite, Väyrynenite, Moraesite, Amblygonite, Montebrasite, Viitaniemiite, Crandallite, Augelite, Morinite, Eosphorite, Triplite, Triphylite, Lithiophilite, Varulite, Ferrisicklerite, Sicklerite, Purpurite, Heterosite, Vivianite, Meta vivianite, Strengite, Fosfosiderite (??? strengite), Rockbridgeite, Strunzite, Laueite, Reddingite, Frondelite, Jahnsite, Hureaulite, Fairfieldite, Switzerite, Monasite.
Silicates :
Quartz, Mikrokline, Ortoclas, Albite, Pollucite, Analcim, Spessartine, Almandine, Zircone, Thorite, Topaz, Beryll, Bertrandite, Shorlite, Elbaite, Dravite, Muskovite, Biotite, Klorite, Lepidolite, Cookeite, Kaolinite, Montmorillonite, Illite.
Organic :
Tucholite.

Topaz
Together with some clevlandite and quartz.
Collected 1997-06-23
(300 dpi, 800x600, k)

Topaz
Nice big topaz crystals (3.5-4 cm) together with some clevlandite and quartz. This is not the only crystal, at the right there is a crystal buried in the quartz that seems to be nice and there are more in other parts of the rock.
I am still working on this one.
Collected 1997-06-23
(300 dpi, 800x600, k)

Manganeese apatite
Manganeese flourapatite as a blue lump in albite (clevlandite). It is possible to recognise two sides of the hexagonal form of the crystal. If it's the crystal form or due to the boundaries of the surrounding rock, I cant tell.
To the right in the background is a small columbite crystal.
Collected 1997-06-23
(300 dpi, 800x600, k)

Verdelite
Verdelite in quartz with Mn-apatite, topaz and cleavelandite.
Collected 1997-06-23 in the eastern waste pile.
(200 dpi, 800x600, k)

Fluorite
Created in a hole between some clevlandite crystals together with green muscovite (gilbertite).
Warning : This stuff is under analyse, since it is harder than feldspar.
Collected 1997-06-23
(300 dpi, 800x600, k)

Columbite
Columbite in clevlandite and some quartz and biotite. This sample shows a cleavage almost parallell with the picture plane.
Collected 1997-06-23
(300 dpi, 800x600, k)

Triplite

WARNING : This is still under analyse, identification uncertain.
Collected 1997-06-23
(300 dpi, 800x600, k)

Triphylite

WARNING : This is still under analyse, identification uncertain.
Collected 1997-06-23
(300 dpi, 800x600, k)

Lithiophilite
Lithiophilite in a small green lump at the side of a manganeese fluorapatite.
WARNING : This is still under analyse, identification uncertain.
Collected 1997-06-23
(300 dpi, 800x600, k)

Triplite
This is really red triplite, The hardness is about 5.
Collected 1997-06-23
(300 dpi, 800x600, k)

Vayrynenite
Pink grainy vayreninite.
Bought in 2000
(size 3x2x1 cm)

Unknown
Unknown mineral, not tested.
WARNING : This is still under analyse, identification uncertain.
Collected 1997-06-23
(300 dpi, 800x600, k)

Unknown
Unknown mineral, not tested.
WARNING : This is still under analyse, identification uncertain.
Collected 1997-06-23
(300 dpi, 800x600, k)

Herderite
Possible herderite. The crystal is in the center of the picture.
The crystal have a square cross section with the corners cut at 45 degrees. The end of the crystal is lost in a conchoidal fracture and the sides are striated.
The hardness is about 5-6. (barely scratches glass)
The paragenes is cleavelandite, quartz, muscovite both as flakes and compact "gilbertite", topaz.
WARNING : This is still under analyse, identification uncertain.
Collected 1997-06-23
(300 dpi, 800x600, k)

Possible beryllonite
Unknown mineral, not tested.
A small six-sided crystal is pointing right up in this picture. The crystal faces are etched. It might be beryllonite.
WARNING : This is still under analyse, identification uncertain.
Collected 1997-06-23
(300 dpi, 800x600, k)

Unknown
Unknown mineral, not tested. There is some lilac in the gilbertite.
WARNING : This is still under analyse, identification uncertain.
Collected 1997-06-23
(300 dpi, 800x600, k)

Unknown
Unknown sulphide mineral under the bright muscovite.
Good current conductor, about 50 ohm at 2mm.
Maybe arsenopyrite. The color of the sulphide is white.
WARNING : This is still under analyse, identification uncertain.
Collected 1997-06-23
(300 dpi, 800x600, k)

Thucholite
Thucholite is a mix of hydrocarbons, sometimes containing uraninite, making the mineral slightly radioactive. This sample contains no measurable radioactivity, but shows small green dots in UV-light. This shows that there are some traces of uranium in the material after all.
Collected 1997-06-23
(300 dpi, 800x600, k)

If you have some questions, suggestions or comments you are welcome to write me a line or two.

Locality index. Main index.

axelsson@acc.umu.se

	Topaz Together with some clevlandite and quartz. Collected 1997-06-23 (300 dpi, 800x600, k)
	Topaz Nice big topaz crystals (3.5-4 cm) together with some clevlandite and quartz. This is not the only crystal, at the right there is a crystal buried in the quartz that seems to be nice and there are more in other parts of the rock. I am still working on this one. Collected 1997-06-23 (300 dpi, 800x600, k)
	Manganeese apatite Manganeese flourapatite as a blue lump in albite (clevlandite). It is possible to recognise two sides of the hexagonal form of the crystal. If it's the crystal form or due to the boundaries of the surrounding rock, I cant tell. To the right in the background is a small columbite crystal. Collected 1997-06-23 (300 dpi, 800x600, k)
	Verdelite Verdelite in quartz with Mn-apatite, topaz and cleavelandite. Collected 1997-06-23 in the eastern waste pile. (200 dpi, 800x600, k)
	Fluorite Created in a hole between some clevlandite crystals together with green muscovite (gilbertite). Warning : This stuff is under analyse, since it is harder than feldspar. Collected 1997-06-23 (300 dpi, 800x600, k)
	Columbite Columbite in clevlandite and some quartz and biotite. This sample shows a cleavage almost parallell with the picture plane. Collected 1997-06-23 (300 dpi, 800x600, k)
	Triplite WARNING : This is still under analyse, identification uncertain. Collected 1997-06-23 (300 dpi, 800x600, k)
	Triphylite WARNING : This is still under analyse, identification uncertain. Collected 1997-06-23 (300 dpi, 800x600, k)
	Lithiophilite Lithiophilite in a small green lump at the side of a manganeese fluorapatite. WARNING : This is still under analyse, identification uncertain. Collected 1997-06-23 (300 dpi, 800x600, k)
	Triplite This is really red triplite, The hardness is about 5. Collected 1997-06-23 (300 dpi, 800x600, k)
	Vayrynenite Pink grainy vayreninite. Bought in 2000 (size 3x2x1 cm)
	Unknown Unknown mineral, not tested. WARNING : This is still under analyse, identification uncertain. Collected 1997-06-23 (300 dpi, 800x600, k)
	Unknown Unknown mineral, not tested. WARNING : This is still under analyse, identification uncertain. Collected 1997-06-23 (300 dpi, 800x600, k)
	Herderite Possible herderite. The crystal is in the center of the picture. The crystal have a square cross section with the corners cut at 45 degrees. The end of the crystal is lost in a conchoidal fracture and the sides are striated. The hardness is about 5-6. (barely scratches glass) The paragenes is cleavelandite, quartz, muscovite both as flakes and compact "gilbertite", topaz. WARNING : This is still under analyse, identification uncertain. Collected 1997-06-23 (300 dpi, 800x600, k)
	Possible beryllonite Unknown mineral, not tested. A small six-sided crystal is pointing right up in this picture. The crystal faces are etched. It might be beryllonite. WARNING : This is still under analyse, identification uncertain. Collected 1997-06-23 (300 dpi, 800x600, k)
	Unknown Unknown mineral, not tested. There is some lilac in the gilbertite. WARNING : This is still under analyse, identification uncertain. Collected 1997-06-23 (300 dpi, 800x600, k)
	Unknown Unknown sulphide mineral under the bright muscovite. Good current conductor, about 50 ohm at 2mm. Maybe arsenopyrite. The color of the sulphide is white. WARNING : This is still under analyse, identification uncertain. Collected 1997-06-23 (300 dpi, 800x600, k)
	Thucholite Thucholite is a mix of hydrocarbons, sometimes containing uraninite, making the mineral slightly radioactive. This sample contains no measurable radioactivity, but shows small green dots in UV-light. This shows that there are some traces of uranium in the material after all. Collected 1997-06-23 (300 dpi, 800x600, k)