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Natrophilite

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Big Photo

Fillow Quarry (Branchville Quarry; Branchville Mica Mine), Branchville, Redding, Fairfield Co., Connecticut, USA
© Van King

Show Natrophilite Photos (2)



Formula:
NaMn
2+
 
PO
 
4
System:OrthorhombicColour:Deep yellow to light ...
Hardness:4½ - 5
Member of:Triphylite Group
Name:Named by George Brush and Edward Dana in 1890 from NATRium (Latin for sodium) and the Greek φίλος = "a friend" in allusion to its composition containing significant sodium.
Isostructural with:Olivine


Triphylite Group.

Classification of Natrophilite

IMA status:Valid - first described prior to 1959 (pre-IMA) - "Grandfathered"
Strunz 8th edition ID:7/A.02-80
Nickel-Strunz 10th (pending) edition ID:8.AB.10

8 : PHOSPHATES, ARSENATES, VANADATES
A : Phosphates, etc. without additional anions, without H2O
B : With medium-sized cations
Dana 7th edition ID:38.1.1.3
Dana 8th edition ID:38.1.1.3

38 : ANHYDROUS NORMAL PHOSPHATES, ARSENATES, AND VANADATES
1 : ABXO4
Hey's CIM Ref.:19.12.3

19 : Phosphates
12 : Phosphates of Mn
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Type Occurrence of Natrophilite

Type Locality:Fillow Quarry (Branchville Quarry; Branchville Mica Mine), Branchville, Redding, Fairfield Co., Connecticut, USA
General Appearance of Type Material:Embedded grains
Year of Discovery:1890
Geological Setting of type material:Granite pegmatite
Associated Minerals at type locality:
TriploiditeLithiophiliteHureauliteHureauliteEosphorite
Dickinsonite-(KMnNa)

Physical Properties of Natrophilite

Lustre:Sub-Vitreous, Greasy
Diaphaneity (Transparency):Transparent, Translucent
Comment:Bright; somewhat pearly on the {001} cleavage.
Colour:Deep yellow to light yellow
Streak:White
Hardness (Mohs):4½ - 5
Tenacity:Brittle
Cleavage:Distinct/Good
On {001}, good; on {010}, indistinct; on {021} poor.
Fracture:Irregular/Uneven
Density (measured):3.41 g/cm3
Density (calculated):3.47 g/cm3

Crystallography of Natrophilite

Crystal System:Orthorhombic
Class (H-M):mmm (2/m 2/m 2/m) - Dipyramidal
Space Group:Pmna {P2/m 2/n 21/a}
Space Group Setting:Pmna
Cell Parameters:a = 6.31Å, b = 10.517Å, c = 4.98Å
Ratio:a:b:c = 0.6 : 1 : 0.474
Unit Cell Volume:V 330.48 ų (Calculated from Unit Cell)
Morphology:Crystals unknown; usually as small (1 mm) grains of as thin fracture (1 mm wide) fillings.
Comment:Incomplete structure analysis, Am Min (1972) 57:1333
X-Ray Powder Diffraction:
d-spacingIntensity
4.50 (60)
4.05 (60)
3.66 (50)
3.15 (50)
2.86 (80)
2.60 (100)
2.58 (100)
1.831 (70)
Comments:ICDD 25-846, Pmnb

Optical Data of Natrophilite

Type:Biaxial (+)
RI values: nα = 1.671 nβ = 1.674 nγ = 1.684
2V:Measured: 70° to 80°, Calculated: 58°
Birefringence:0.013
Maximum Birefringence:δ = 0.013

Chart shows birefringence interference colour range (at 30µm thickness) and does not take into account mineral colouration.
Surface Relief:High
Dispersion:r < v, relatively strong
Optical Extinction:XYZ = abc
Pleochroism:Non-pleochroic

Chemical Properties of Natrophilite

Formula:
NaMn
2+
 
PO
 
4
Essential elements:Mn, Na, O, P
All elements listed in formula:Mn, Na, O, P

Relationship of Natrophilite to other Species

Member of:Triphylite Group
Other Members of Group:

- +
Lithiophilite
LiMn
2+
 
PO
 
4
Triphylite
LiFe
2+
 
PO
 
4
Structurally related to group(s):
Triphylite Group
AB(XO
 
4
)
Related Minerals - Nickel-Strunz Grouping):

- +
8.AB.05Farringtonite
Mg
 
3
(PO
 
4
)
 
2
8.AB.10Ferrisicklerite
(Fe
3+
 
,LiMn
2+
 
)PO
 
4
8.AB.10Heterosite
(Fe
3+
 
,Mn
3+
 
)PO
 
4
8.AB.10Lithiophilite
LiMn
2+
 
PO
 
4
8.AB.10Purpurite
(Mn
3+
 
,Fe
3+
 
)PO
 
4
8.AB.10Sicklerite
(LiMn
2+
 
,Fe
3+
 
)PO
 
4
8.AB.10Simferite
Li(Mg,Fe
3+
 
,Mn
3+
 
)
 
2
(PO
 
4
)
 
2
8.AB.10Triphylite
LiFe
2+
 
PO
 
4
8.AB.15Sarcopside
(Fe
2+
 
,Mn
2+
 
,Mg)
 
3
(PO
 
4
)
 
2
8.AB.15Chopinite
(Mg,Fe
2+
 
)
 
3
(PO
 
4
)
 
2
8.AB.20Beusite
(Mn
2+
 
,Fe
2+
 
,Ca,Mg)
 
3
(PO
 
4
)
 
2
8.AB.20Graftonite
(Fe
2+
 
,Mn
2+
 
,Ca)
 
3
(PO
 
4
)
 
2
8.AB.25Xanthiosite
Ni
 
3
(AsO
 
4
)
 
2
8.AB.30Lammerite
Cu
 
3
(AsO
 
4
)
 
2
8.AB.30IMA2009-002
Cu
 
3
(AsO
 
4
)
 
2
8.AB.35Mcbirneyite
Cu
 
3
(VO
 
4
)
 
2
8.AB.35Stranskiite
Zn
 
2
Cu(AsO
 
4
)
 
2
8.AB.40Lyonsite
Cu
 
3
Fe
 
4
(VO
 
4
)
 
6
Related Minerals - Hey's Index Grouping:

- +
19.12.1Metaswitzerite
Mn
 
3
(PO
 
4
)
 
2
 · 4H
 
2
O
19.12.2Bermanite
Mn
2+
 
Mn
3+
2
(PO
 
4
)
 
2
(OH)
 
2
 · 4H
 
2
O
19.12.4Sidorenkite
Na
 
3
Mn
2+
 
(CO
 
3
)(PO
 
4
)
19.12.5Niahite
(NH
 
4
)(Mn
2+
 
,Mg)(PO
 
4
) · H
 
2
O
19.12.6Robertsite
Ca
 
3
Mn
3+
4
(PO
 
4
)
 
4
(OH)
 
6
 · 3H
 
2
O
19.12.7Pararobertsite
Ca
 
2
Mn
3+
3
(PO
 
4
)
 
3
O
 
2
 · 3H
 
2
O
19.12.8Sinkankasite
H
 
2
Mn
2+
 
Al(PO
 
4
)
 
2
(OH) · 6H
 
2
O
19.12.9Mangangordonite
Mn
2+
 
Al
 
2
(PO
 
4
)
 
2
(OH)
 
2
 · 8H
 
2
O
19.12.10Heterosite
(Fe
3+
 
,Mn
3+
 
)PO
 
4
19.12.11Purpurite
(Mn
3+
 
,Fe
3+
 
)PO
 
4
19.12.12Wolfeite
(Fe
2+
 
,Mn
2+
 
)
 
2
(PO
 
4
)(OH)
19.12.13Triploidite
(Mn
2+
 
,Fe
2+
 
)
 
2
(PO
 
4
)(OH)
19.12.14Lipscombite
(Fe
2+
 
,Mn
2+
 
)Fe
3+
2
(PO
 
4
)
 
2
(OH)
 
2
19.12.15Frondelite
Mn
2+
 
Fe
3+
4
(PO
 
4
)
 
3
(OH)
 
5
19.12.16Rockbridgeite
Fe
2+
 
Fe
3+
4
(PO
 
4
)
 
3
(OH)
 
5
19.12.17Kryzhanovskite
(Fe
3+
 
,Mn
2+
 
)
 
2
(PO
 
4
)
 
2
(OH,H
 
2
O)
 
3
19.12.18Landesite
Mn
2+
3-x
Fe
3+
x
(PO
 
4
)
 
2
(OH)
 
x
 · (3-x)H
 
2
O
19.12.19Phosphoferrite
(Fe
2+
 
,Mn
2+
 
)
 
3
(PO
 
4
)
 
2
 · 3H
 
2
O
19.12.20Reddingite
(Mn,Fe)
 
3
(PO
 
4
)
 
2
 · 3H
 
2
O
19.12.21Earlshannonite
Mn
2+
 
Fe
3+
2
(PO
 
4
)
 
2
(OH)
 
2
 · 4H
 
2
O
19.12.22Hureaulite
(Mn,Fe)
 
5
(PO
 
4
)
 
2
(HPO
 
4
)
 
2
 · 4H
 
2
O
19.12.23Switzerite
(Mn,Fe)
 
3
(PO
 
4
)
 
2
 · 7H
 
2
O
19.12.24Laueite
Mn
2+
 
Fe
3+
2
(PO
 
4
)
 
2
(OH)
 
2
 · 8H
 
2
O
19.12.25Pseudolaueite
Mn
2+
 
Fe
3+
2
(PO
 
4
)
 
2
(OH)
 
2
 · 8H
 
2
O
19.12.26Strunzite
Mn
2+
 
Fe
3+
2
(PO
 
4
)
 
2
(OH)
 
2
 · 6H
 
2
O
19.12.27Stewartite
Mn
2+
 
Fe
3+
2
(PO
 
4
)
 
2
(OH)
 
2
 · 8H
 
2
O
19.12.28Alluaudite
(Na,Ca)Mn
2+
 
(Fe
3+
 
,Mn
2+
 
,Fe
2+
 
,Mg)
 
2
(PO
 
4
)
 
3
19.12.29Ferroalluaudite
(Na,Ca)Fe
2+
 
(Fe
3+
 
,Mn
2+
 
,Fe
2+
 
)
 
2
(PO
 
4
)
 
3
19.12.30Fillowite
{Mn
2+
 
}{Na
 
8
}{Ca
 
4
Na
 
4
}{(Mn
2+
 
,Fe
2+
 
)
 
43
}(PO
 
4
)
 
36
19.12.31Johnsomervilleite
{Ca}{Na
 
6
[ ]
 
2
}{Ca
 
6
Na
 
2
}{(Fe
2+
 
,Mg,Mn
2+
 
)
 
43
}(PO
 
4
)
 
36
19.12.32Wicksite
NaCa
 
2
(Fe
2+
 
,Mn
2+
 
)
 
4
MgFe
3+
 
(PO
 
4
)
 
6
 · 2H
 
2
O
19.12.33Dickinsonite-(KMnNa)
{KNa}{Mn
2+
 
◻}{Ca}{Na
 
3
}{Mn
2+
13
}{Al}(PO
 
4
)
 
12
(OH)
 
2
19.12.34Sarcopside
(Fe
2+
 
,Mn
2+
 
,Mg)
 
3
(PO
 
4
)
 
2
19.12.35Ludlamite
(Fe,Mn,Mg)
 
3
(PO
 
4
)
 
2
 · 4H
 
2
O
19.12.36Graftonite
(Fe
2+
 
,Mn
2+
 
,Ca)
 
3
(PO
 
4
)
 
2
19.12.37Wilhelmvierlingite
CaMnFe
3+
 
(PO
 
4
)
 
2
(OH) · 2H
 
2
O
19.12.38Fairfieldite
Ca
 
2
(Mn
2+
 
,Fe
2+
 
)(PO
 
4
)
 
2
 · 2H
 
2
O
19.12.39Beusite
(Mn
2+
 
,Fe
2+
 
,Ca,Mg)
 
3
(PO
 
4
)
 
2
19.12.40Messelite
Ca
 
2
(Fe
2+
 
,Mn
2+
 
)(PO
 
4
)
 
2
 · 2H
 
2
O
19.12.41Jahnsite-(CaMnFe)
{Ca}{Mn
2+
 
}{Fe
2+
2
}{Fe
3+
2
}(PO
 
4
)
 
4
(OH)
 
2
 · 8H
 
2
O
19.12.42Jahnsite-(CaMnMn)
{Ca}{Mn
2+
 
}{Mn
2+
2
}{Fe
3+
2
}(PO
 
4
)
 
4
(OH)
 
2
 · 8H
 
2
O
19.12.43Jahnsite-(CaMnMg)
{Ca}{Mn
2+
 
}{(Mg,Fe
2+
 
)
 
2
}{Fe
3+
2
}(PO
 
4
)
 
4
(OH)
 
2
 · 8H
 
2
O
19.12.44Keckite
CaMn
2+
 
Fe
3+
2
Fe
3+
2
(PO
 
4
)
 
4
(OH)
 
3
(H
 
2
O)
 
7
19.12.45Stanfieldite
Ca
 
7
Ca
 
2
Mg
 
9
(PO
 
4
)
 
12
19.12.46Laubmannite
(Fe
2+
 
,Mn
2+
 
,Ca)
 
3
Fe
3+
6
(PO
 
4
)
 
4
(OH)
 
12
19.12.47Zodacite
Ca
 
4
Mn
2+
 
Fe
3+
4
(PO
 
4
)
 
6
(OH)
 
4
 · 12H
 
2
O
19.12.48Hagendorfite
NaCaMn
2+
 
Fe
2+
2
(PO
 
4
)
 
3
19.12.49Maghagendorfite
NaMn(Mg,Fe,Fe)
 
3
(PO
 
4
)
 
3
19.12.50Varulite
NaCaMn
2+
 
Mn
2+
2
(PO
 
4
)
 
3
19.12.51Griphite
Na
 
4
Li
 
2
Ca
 
6
(Mn
2+
 
,Fe
2+
 
,Mg)
 
19
Al
 
8
(PO
 
4
)
 
24
(F,OH)
 
8
19.12.52Attakolite
(Ca,Sr)Mn(Al,Fe)
 
4
(HPO
 
4
,PO
 
4
)
 
3
(SiO
 
4
,PO
 
4
)(OH)
 
4
19.12.53Arrojadite-(KFe)
{KNa}{Fe
2+
 
◻}{Ca}{Na
 
2
◻}{Fe
2+
13
}{Al}(PO
 
4
)
 
11
(HPO
 
4
)(OH)
 
2
19.12.54Lun'okite
(Mn,Ca)(Mg,Fe,Mn)Al(PO
 
4
)
 
2
OH · 4H
 
2
O
19.12.55Eosphorite
(Mn
2+
 
,Fe
2+
 
)Al(PO
 
4
)(OH)
 
2
 · H
 
2
O
19.12.56Ernstite
(Mn
2+
 
,Fe
3+
 
)Al(PO
 
4
)(OH,O)
 
2
 · H
 
2
O
19.12.57Childrenite
(Fe
2+
 
,Mn
2+
 
)Al(PO
 
4
)(OH)
 
2
 · H
 
2
O
19.12.58Bobfergusonite
Na
 
2
Mn
 
5
FeAl(PO
 
4
)
 
6
19.12.59Qingheiite
NaMn
3+
 
Mg(Al,Fe
3+
 
)(PO
 
4
)
 
3
19.12.60Whiteite-(CaFeMg)
{Ca}{(Fe
2+
 
,Mn
2+
 
)}{Mg
 
2
}{Al
 
2
}(PO
 
4
)
 
4
(OH)
 
2
 · 8H
 
2
O
19.12.61Whiteite-(CaMnMg)
{Ca}{Mn
2+
 
}{Mg
 
2
}{Al
 
2
}(PO
 
4
)
 
4
(OH)
 
2
 · 8H
 
2
O
19.12.62Whiteite-(MnFeMg)
{(Mn
2+
 
,Ca)}{(Fe
2+
 
,Mn
2+
 
)}{Mg
 
2
}{Al
 
2
}(PO
 
4
)
 
4
(OH)
 
2
 · 8H
 
2
O
19.12.63Rittmannite
{(Mn
2+
 
,Ca)}{Mn
2+
 
}{(Fe
2+
 
,Mn
2+
 
,Mg)
 
2
}{(Al,Fe
3+
 
)
 
2
}(PO
 
4
)
 
4
(OH)
 
2
 · 8H
 
2
O
19.12.64Zanazziite
Ca
 
2
Mg
 
5
Be
 
4
(PO
 
4
)
 
6
(OH)
 
4
 · 6H
 
2
O
19.12.65Samuelsonite
(Ca,Ba)Ca
 
8
Fe
2+
2
Mn
2+
2
Al
 
2
(PO
 
4
)
 
10
(OH)
 
2
Related Minerals - Dana Grouping):

- +
38.1.1.1Triphylite
LiFe
2+
 
PO
 
4
38.1.1.2Lithiophilite
LiMn
2+
 
PO
 
4

Other Names for Natrophilite

Other Languages:
German:Natrophilit
Russian:Натрофилит
Spanish:Natrofilita

Other Information

Fluorescence in UV light:Not fluorescent.
Other Information:Soluble in acids.
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 Natrophilite

Reference List:

- +
Brush and Dana (1890) American Journal of Science: 39: 205.

Larsen, E.S. (1921) The Microscopic Determination of the Nonopaque Minerals, First edition, USGS Bulletin 679: 115.

Byström (1943) Arkiv för Kemi, Mineralogi och Geologi, Stockholm: 17B, no. 4.

Palache, C., Berman, H., & Frondel, C. (1951), The System of Mineralogy of James Dwight Dana and Edward Salisbury Dana, Yale University 1837-1892, Volume II. John Wiley and Sons, Inc., New York, 7th edition, revised and enlarged, 1124 pp.: 670-671.

Am Min 50:1096-1097

American Mineralogist (1972): 57: 1333-1344.

Internet Links for Natrophilite

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    • Localities for Natrophilite

    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.
    Hide Locality List
    (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.
    Germany
     
    • Saxony
      • Erzgebirge
        • Ehrenfriedersdorf
    		Thomas, R., and Webster, J.D. (2000): Mineralium Deposita 35, 570-582.
    USA
     
    • Connecticut
      • Fairfield Co.
        • Redding
          • Branchville
    		Brush and Dana (1890); Shainin (1946): American Mineralogist 31: 329-345; Palache, C., Berman, H., & Frondel, C. (1951), The System of Mineralogy of James Dwight Dana and Edward Salisbury Dana, Yale University 1837-1892, Volume II: 671.; Am Min 50:1096-1097; Rocks & Minerals (1995) 70:396-409
    • Wisconsin
      • Florence Co.
        • Fern
    		Al Falster
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