Mineral description : Sicklerite

Picture pending, Sicklerite from Varuträsk.

Mineral class Phosphates : Amblygonite pharmakosiderite group
Chemical formula Li(Mn,Fe)PO4
Crystal system Orthorombic.
Habitus Massive.
Cleavage [100] good.
Hardness 4
Density 3.36 - 3.5
Color Brown, from dark brown to yellowish brown.
Streak Light brown.
Luster Dull to silky.
Description A secondary phosphate, formed by oxidation of other phosphates.
Occurance In granitic pegmatites.
Associates Triphylite
Notes Type locality : Naylor-Vanderburg mine, Pala, San Diego Co., California, USA. First described by Schaller in 1912.
Often with a brownish black tarnish that could be removed with weak hydrocloric acid.
Forms a substitution serie with ferrisicklerite.
Localities A common phosphate.
  • Varuträsk, Västerbotten. As transformation zones on triphylite.

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Last changed : 2000-06-10