Mindat Logo
Home Page Log In Message Board The Mindat Directory
Register Search Pages Chat Now! (2 online) Mindat Auctions

Lithiophosphate

Big Photo

Foote Lithium Co. Mine (Foote Mine), Kings Mountain District, Cleveland Co., North Carolina, USA
© 2005 JBS

Formula:
Li
 
3
[PO
 
4
]
System:OrthorhombicColour:White, light pink, ...
Lustre:VitreousHardness:4
This page provides mineralogical data about Lithiophosphate.

Classification of Lithiophosphate

IMA status:Valid - first described prior to 1959 (pre-IMA) - "Grandfathered"
Strunz 8th edition ID:7/A.01-20
Nickel-Strunz 10th (pending) edition ID:8.AA.20

8 : PHOSPHATES, ARSENATES, VANADATES
A : Phosphates, etc. without additional anions, without H2O
A : With small cations (some also with larger ones)
Dana 8th edition ID:38.4.10.1

38 : ANHYDROUS NORMAL PHOSPHATES, ARSENATES, AND VANADATES
4 : AXO4
Hey's CIM Ref.:19.1.1

19 : Phosphates
1 : Phosphates of the alkali metals
mindat.org URL:http://www.mindat.org/min-2420.html
Please feel free to link to this page.

Type Occurrence of Lithiophosphate

Type Locality:Okhmyl'k Mt, Voron'i Tundry, Kola Peninsula, Murmanskaja Oblast', Northern Region, Russia
Year of Discovery:1957

Physical Properties of Lithiophosphate

Lustre:Vitreous
Colour:White, light pink, colourless
Streak:White
Hardness (Mohs):4
Cleavage:Perfect

Crystallography of Lithiophosphate

Crystal System:Orthorhombic
Cell Parameters:a = 6.11Å, b = 5.23Å, c = 4.84Å
Ratio:a:b:c = 1.168 : 1 : 0.925
Unit Cell Volume:V 154.66 ų (Calculated from Unit Cell)

Optical Data of Lithiophosphate

Type:Biaxial (+)
RI values: nα = 1.550 - 1.553 nβ = 1.557 - 1.558 nγ = 1.566 - 1.567
2V:Measured: 69° to 80°, Calculated: 74° to 84°
Maximum Birefringence:δ = 0.016

Chart shows birefringence interference colour range (at 30µm thickness) and does not take into account mineral colouration.
Surface Relief:Low
Dispersion:r > v weak

Chemical Properties of Lithiophosphate

Formula:
Li
 
3
[PO
 
4
]
Essential elements:Li, O, P
All elements listed in formula:Li, O, P

Relationship of Lithiophosphate to other Species

Related Minerals - Nickel-Strunz Grouping):

- +
8.AA.05Alarsite
Al[AsO
 
4
]
8.AA.05Berlinite
Al[PO
 
4
]
8.AA.05Rodolicoite
Fe
3+
 
[PO
 
4
]
8.AA.10Beryllonite
NaBe[PO
 
4
]
8.AA.15Hurlbutite
CaBe
 
2
[PO
 
4
]
 
2
8.AA.25Nalipoite
NaLi
 
2
[PO
 
4
]
8.AA.30Olympite
Na
 
5
Li[PO
 
4
]
 
2
Related Minerals - Hey's Index Grouping:

- +
19.1.2Olympite
Na
 
5
Li[PO
 
4
]
 
2
19.1.3Nahpoite
Na
 
2
HPO
 
4
19.1.4Dorfmanite
Na
 
2
(PO
 
3
OH)·2H
 
2
O
19.1.5Nalipoite
NaLi
 
2
[PO
 
4
]
19.1.6Stercorite
NaNH
 
4
HPO
 
4
·4H
 
2
O
19.1.7Archerite
(K,NH
 
4
)[H
 
2
PO
 
4
]
19.1.8Biphosphammite
(NH
 
4
,K)H
 
2
PO
 
4
19.1.9Phosphammite
(NH
 
4
)
 
2
HPO
 
4
19.1.10Lithiophilite
LiMn
2+
 
[PO
 
4
]
19.1.11Sicklerite
(LiMn
2+
 
,Fe
3+
 
)[PO
 
4
]
19.1.12Ferrisicklerite
(Fe
3+
 
,LiMn
2+
 
)[PO
 
4
]
19.1.13Triphylite
LiFe
2+
 
[PO
 
4
]
19.1.14Tavorite
LiFe
3+
 
[OH|PO
 
4
]
19.1.15Marićite
NaFe
2+
 
[PO
 
4
]

Other Names for Lithiophosphate

Other Languages:
German:Lithiophosphatit
Russian:Литиофосфат

Other Information

Health Warning:No information on health risks for this material has been entered into the database. You should always treat mineral specimens with care.

References for Lithiophosphate

Reference List:American Mineralogist (1957): 42: 585.

Doklady Akademii Nauk SSSR: 112(1): 124-126.

Crystallography Reports: 39(1): 35-41.

Soviet Physics – Doklady (1978): 23: 287.

Internet Links for Lithiophosphate

Search Engines:
  • Look for Lithiophosphate on Google
  • Look for Lithiophosphate images on Google
    • External Links:
  • Look for Lithiophosphate on Webmineral
  • Look for Lithiophosphate on Athena Mineralogy
  • Look for Lithiophosphate on Wikipedia
  • Look for Lithiophosphate on Mineralien Atlas
  • Raman and XRD data at RRUFF project
  • American Mineralogist Crystal Structure Database
  • Search for Lithiophosphate in the Natural History Museum (London) online catalogue
  • Lithiophosphate details from Handbook of Mineralogy (PDF)
    • Mineral Dealers:
  • Buy from David K Joyce minerals
  • Find Lithiophosphate on www.crystalclassics.co.uk
  • Search for Lithiophosphate at Thames Valley Minerals
  • The Arkenstone - Fine Minerals
  • Wendel Minerals - Auktion & Shop
  • Buy Fine Minerals from mineralsweb.com
  • Mineral Classics - Worldwide Collector Quality Minerals and Gems
  • Buy fine minerals and gemstones from Pala International
  • Top quality minerals from Kristalle of California
  • Rare and Unusual minerals at Mineralogical Research Company
  • Fabre Minerals - search for Lithiophosphate specimens
  • SpiriferMinerals.com - high quality specimens
    • Jobs:
  • Mining & Geology Jobs

    • Page Sponsor

    Sponsorship:This page is currently not sponsored. Click here to sponsor this page.

    Localities for Lithiophosphate

    Hide Locality List
    The map shows a selection of localities that have latitude and longitude coordinates recorded. Click on the symbol to view information about a locality. The symbol next to localities in the list can be used to jump to that position on the map.
    These maps work faster with Firefox!
    (TL) indicates type locality. ? indicates mineral may be doubtful at this locality. All other localities listed without reference should be considered as uncertain and unproven until references can be found.
    Canada
     
    • Manitoba
      • Lac-du-Bonnet area
        • Bernic Lake
    		Tschernich, R. (1992): Zeolites of the World, p.51
    Russia
     
    • Northern Region
      • Murmanskaja Oblast'
        • Kola Peninsula
          • Voron'i Tundry
    		DAN-SSSR (1957) 112, 124-126; Pekov, I. (1998) Minerals First discovered on the territory of the former Soviet Union 369p. Ocean Pictures, Moscow
    USA
     
    • North Carolina
      • Cleveland Co.
        • Kings Mountain District
    		Jan H.Bernard and Jaroslav Hyrsl,2004, Minerals and their Localities, pg # 357; Am Min 54 (1969), 1467-1469
    • South Dakota
      • Custer Co.
        • Custer District
          • Fourmile
    		Mineralogical Record: 17: 237-254; Rocks & Minerals: 60: 117.
    Mineral and/or Locality
    Google
     
    www.mindat.org Web
    Copyright © Jolyon Ralph and Ida Chau 1993-2009. Site Map. Locality, mineral & photograph data are the copyright of the individuals who submitted them.Further information contact the Site hosted & developed by Jolyon Ralph. Mindat.org is an online information resource dedicated to providing free mineralogical information to all. Mindat relies on the contributions of hundreds of members and supporters. If you would like to add information to improve the quality of our database, then click here to register.