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Tiptopite

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Tip Top Mine, Fourmile, Custer District, Custer Co., South Dakota, USA
© Knut Eldjarn

Show Tiptopite Photos (7)
Formula:
K
 
2
(Na,Ca)
 
2
Li
 
3
Be
 
6
[OH|(PO
 
4
)
 
3
]
 
2
 · H
 
2
O
System:HexagonalColour:Colourless
Hardness:3½
Name:Named after its discovery locality, the Tip Top pegmatite, near Custer, South Dakota, USA
This page provides mineralogical data about Tiptopite.

Classification of Tiptopite

IMA status:Approved 1983
Strunz 8th edition ID:7/D.02-10
Nickel-Strunz 10th (pending) edition ID:8.DA.25

8 : PHOSPHATES, ARSENATES, VANADATES
D : Phosphates, etc. with additional anions, with H2O
A : With small (and occasionally larger) cations
Dana 8th edition ID:42.6.11.1

42 : HYDRATED PHOSPHATES, ETC.CONTAINING HYDROXYL OR HALOGEN
6 : A2(XO4)Zq·xH2O
Hey's CIM Ref.:19.3.10

19 : Phosphates
3 : Phosphates of Be and Mg
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Type Occurrence of Tiptopite

Type Locality:Tip Top Mine, Fourmile, Custer District, Custer Co., South Dakota, USA
Year of Discovery:1985

Physical Properties of Tiptopite

Lustre:Vitreous
Diaphaneity (Transparency):Transparent
Colour:Colourless
Hardness (Mohs):3½

Crystallography of Tiptopite

Crystal System:Hexagonal
Cell Parameters:a = 11.65Å, c = 4.69Å
Ratio:a:c = 1 : 0.403
Unit Cell Volume:V 551.26 ų (Calculated from Unit Cell)

Optical Data of Tiptopite

Type:Uniaxial (+)
RI values: nω = 1.551 nε = 1.559
Maximum Birefringence:δ = 0.008

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

Chemical Properties of Tiptopite

Formula:
K
 
2
(Na,Ca)
 
2
Li
 
3
Be
 
6
[OH|(PO
 
4
)
 
3
]
 
2
 · H
 
2
O
Essential elements:Be, H, K, Li, Na, O, P
All elements listed in formula:Be, Ca, H, K, Li, Na, O, P

Relationship of Tiptopite to other Species

Related Minerals - Nickel-Strunz Grouping):

- +
8.DA.05Bearsite
Be
 
2
[OH|AsO
 
4
] · 4H
 
2
O
8.DA.05Moraesite
Be
 
2
[OH|PO
 
4
] · 4H
 
2
O
8.DA.10Roscherite
Ca(Mn
2+
 
,Fe
2+
 
)
 
5
Be
 
4
[(OH)
 
4
|(PO
 
4
)
 
6
] · 6H
 
2
O
8.DA.10Zanazziite
Ca
 
2
(Mg,Fe)(Mg,Fe,Al)
 
4
Be
 
4
[(OH)
 
4
|(PO
 
4
)
 
6
] · 6H
 
2
O
8.DA.10Greifensteinite
Ca
 
2
(Fe
2+
 
, Mn)
 
5
Be
 
4
[(OH)
 
4
|(PO
 
4
)
 
6
] · 6H
 
2
O
8.DA.10Atencioite
Ca
 
2
Fe
2+
 
Mg
 
2
Fe
2+
2
Be
 
4
[(OH)
 
4
|(PO
 
4
)
 
6
] · 6H
 
2
O
8.DA.10Ruifrancoite
Ca
 
2
[ ]
 
2
(Fe
3+
 
,Mn
2+
 
,Mg)
 
4
Be
 
4
(PO
 
4
)
 
6
(OH)
 
4
(OH,H
 
2
O)
 
2
 · 4H
 
2
O
8.DA.10Guimarãesite
Ca
 
2
(Zn,Mg,Fe
2+
 
)
 
5
Be
 
4
[(OH)
 
4
|(PO
 
4
)
 
6
] · 6H
 
2
O
8.DA.10Footemineite
Ca
 
2
Mn
2+
 
Mn
2+
2
Mn
2+
2
Be
 
4
(PO
 
4
)
 
6
(OH)
 
4
 · 6H
 
2
O
8.DA.15Glucine
CaBe
 
4
[(OH)
 
2
|PO
 
4
]
 
2
 · 0.5H
 
2
O
8.DA.15Uralolite
Ca
 
2
Be
 
4
[OH|PO
 
4
]
 
3
 · 5H
 
2
O
8.DA.20Weinebeneite
CaBe
 
3
[OH|PO
 
4
]
 
2
 · 4H
 
2
O
8.DA.30Veszelyite
(Cu,Zn)
 
2
Zn(PO
 
4
)
 
2
·2H
 
2
O
8.DA.35Kipushite
(Cu,Zn)
 
5
Zn[(OH)
 
3
|PO
 
4
]
 
2
 · H
 
2
O
8.DA.35Philipsburgite
(Cu,Zn)
 
6
[(OH)
 
3
|(AsO
 
4
,PO
 
4
)]
 
2
 · H
 
2
O
8.DA.40Spencerite
Zn
 
4
[OH|PO
 
4
]
 
2
 · 3H
 
2
O
Related Minerals - Hey's Index Grouping:

- +
19.3.1Moraesite
Be
 
2
[OH|PO
 
4
] · 4H
 
2
O
19.3.2Beryllonite
NaBe[PO
 
4
]
19.3.3Hurlbutite
CaBe
 
2
[PO
 
4
]
 
2
19.3.4Hydroxylherderite
CaBe[(OH,F)|PO
 
4
]
19.3.5Glucine
CaBe
 
4
[(OH)
 
2
|PO
 
4
]
 
2
 · 0.5H
 
2
O
19.3.6Fransoletite
Ca
 
3
Be
 
2
[HPO
 
4
|PO
 
4
]
 
2
 · 4H
 
2
O
19.3.7Uralolite
Ca
 
2
Be
 
4
[OH|PO
 
4
]
 
3
 · 5H
 
2
O
19.3.9Pahasapaite
Li
 
8
(Ca,Li,K)
 
10.5
Be
 
24
(PO
 
4
)
 
24
·38H
 
2
O
19.3.11Gainesite
Na(Na,K)(Be,Li)Zr
 
2
[PO
 
4
]
 
4
 · 1.5-2H
 
2
O
19.3.12Roscherite
Ca(Mn
2+
 
,Fe
2+
 
)
 
5
Be
 
4
[(OH)
 
4
|(PO
 
4
)
 
6
] · 6H
 
2
O
19.3.13Faheyite
(Mn,Mg,Na)Be
 
2
Fe
 
2
(PO
 
4
)
 
4
·6H
 
2
O
19.3.14Farringtonite
Mg
 
3
[PO
 
4
]
 
2
19.3.15Holtedahlite
Mg
 
2
[OH|PO
 
4
]
19.3.16Althausite
Mg
 
2
[(OH,F)|PO
 
4
]
19.3.17Newberyite
MgHPO
 
4
·3H
 
2
O
19.3.18Phosphorrösslerite
MgHPO
 
4
·7H
 
2
O
19.3.19Bobierrite
Mg
 
3
(PO
 
4
)
 
2
·8H
 
2
O
19.3.20Barićite
(Mg,Fe)
 
3
(PO
 
4
)
 
2
·8H
 
2
O
19.3.21Panethite
(Na,Ca)
 
2
(Mg,Fe
2+
 
)
 
2
[PO
 
4
]
 
2
19.3.22Dittmarite
NH
 
4
MgPO
 
4
·H
 
2
O
19.3.23Struvite
NH
 
4
MgPO
 
4
·6H
 
2
O
19.3.24Hannayite
(NH
 
4
)
 
2
Mg
 
3
H
 
4
(PO
 
4
)
 
4
·8H
 
2
O

Other Names for Tiptopite

Synonyms:
IMA1983-007
Other Languages:
German:Tiptopit
Russian:Типтопит
Spanish:Tiptopita

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 Tiptopite

Reference List:Canadian Mineralogist (1985): 23: 43-46.

American Mineralogist (1986): 71: 230.

American Mineralogist (1987): 72: 816-820.

Articles/Blogs about Tiptopite

Internet Links for Tiptopite

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  • Raman and XRD data at RRUFF project
  • American Mineralogist Crystal Structure Database
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  • Tiptopite details from Handbook of Mineralogy (PDF)
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    Localities for Tiptopite

    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.
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    (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.
    USA
     
    • South Dakota
      • Custer Co.
        • Custer District
          • Fourmile
    		Rocks & Minerals: 60: 117.
    Mineral and/or Locality
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