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Triphylite

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Sullivan Co., New Hampshire, USA
© Rob Lavinsky

Show Triphylite Photos (22)
Formula:
LiFe
2+
 
[PO
 
4
]
System:OrthorhombicColour:Brown-green, light ...
Hardness:4 - 5
Name:From Greek τοίς, "tria", for threefold, plus φυλή "phylon", family, because it was thought to contain three cations (Fe, Li, Mg).


Triphylite Group Triphylite-Lithiophilite Series

Classification of Triphylite

IMA status:Valid - first described prior to 1959 (pre-IMA) - "Grandfathered"
Strunz 8th edition ID:7/A.02-10
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:38.1.1.1
Dana 8th edition ID:38.1.1.1

38 : ANHYDROUS NORMAL PHOSPHATES, ARSENATES, AND VANADATES
1 : ABXO4
Hey's CIM Ref.:19.1.13

19 : Phosphates
1 : Phosphates of the alkali metals
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Type Occurrence of Triphylite

Type Locality:Hühnerkobel Mt., Rabenstein, Zwiesel, Bavarian Forest, Lower Bavaria, Bavaria, Germany
Year of Discovery:1834

Occurrences of Triphylite

Geological Setting:Complex zoned granitic pegmatites.

Physical Properties of Triphylite

Lustre:Vitreous, Resinous
Diaphaneity (Transparency):Transparent, Translucent
Colour:Brown-green, light green-gray, may appear blue-gray; colourless to pale yellow in transmitted light.
Streak:Colourless to grayish white.
Hardness (Mohs):4 - 5
Cleavage:Very Good
On {100} nearly perfect; on {010}, imperfect; on {011} interrupted.
Fracture:Irregular/Uneven, Sub-Conchoidal
Density (measured):3.5 - 3.58 g/cm3
Density (calculated):3.562 g/cm3
Comment:Value for Fe end-member.

Crystallography of Triphylite

Crystal System:Orthorhombic
Class (H-M):mmm (2/m 2/m 2/m) - Dipyramidal
Cell Parameters:a = 6.0285(6) Å, b = 10.3586(9) Å, c = 4.7031(3) Å
Ratio:a:b:c = 0.582 : 1 : 0.454
Unit Cell Volume:V 293.69 ų (Calculated from Unit Cell)
Z:4
Morphology:Crystals rare; commonly coarse with uneven surfaces; stout prismatic [100]. Massive, cleavable to compact.

Epitaxial Relationships of Triphylite

Epitaxial Minerals:
Graftonite
Epitaxi Comments:As coarsely laminated intergrowths with Graftonite, both phases mutually oriented with Graftonite {010} [100] parallel to Triphylite {102} [010].
X-Ray Powder Diffraction:
Image Loading

Radiation - Copper Kα
Data Set:
Horizontal Axis: ° to ° Vertical Axis: % Source Data: Filtered Data: Peaks:
Data courtesy of RRUFF project at University of Arizona, used with permission.

Optical Data of Triphylite

Type:Biaxial (+/-)
RI values: nα = 1.689 - 1.694 nβ = 1.689 - 1.695 nγ = 1.695 - 1.702
Maximum Birefringence:δ = 0.006 - 0.008

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

Chemical Properties of Triphylite

Formula:
LiFe
2+
 
[PO
 
4
]
Essential elements:Fe, Li, O, P
All elements listed in formula:Fe, Li, O, P
Common Impurities:Mn,Mg,Ca

Relationship of Triphylite to other Species

Series:Forms a series with Lithiophilite (see here)
Related to:
  • Triphylite Group
    • 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.10Natrophilite
    NaMn
    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
    2+
     
    		,Mn
    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.35Mcbirneyite
    Cu
     
    3
    		(VO
     
    4
    		)
     
    2
    8.AB.35Stranskiite
    (Zn,Cu)
     
    3
    		[AsO
     
    4
    		]
     
    2
    8.AB.40Lyonsite
    Cu
     
    3
    		Fe
     
    4
    		(VO
     
    4
    		)
     
    6
    Related Minerals - Hey's Index Grouping:
    19.1.1Lithiophosphate
    Li
     
    3
    		[PO
     
    4
    		]
    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
    		]
    19.1.14Tavorite
    LiFe
    3+
     
    		[OH|PO
     
    4
    		]
    19.1.15Marićite
    NaFe
    2+
     
    		[PO
     
    4
    		]
    Related Minerals - Dana Grouping):
    38.1.1.2Lithiophilite
    LiMn
    2+
     
    		[PO
     
    4
    		]
    38.1.1.3Natrophilite
    NaMn
    2+
     
    		[PO
     
    4
    		]

    Other Names for Triphylite

    Synonyms:
    Lithio-Ferro-Triphylite
    German names:
    Triphylin
    Russian names:
    Трифилин
    Spanish names:
    Triphylita
    Swedish names:
    PerowskynTetraphylin

    Other Information

    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 Triphylite

    Reference List:Fuchs (1834) Journal für praktische Chemie, Leipzig: 3: 98 (as Triphylin).

    Fuchs (1835) Journal für praktische Chemie, Leipzig: 5: 319 (as Triphylin).

    Nordenskiöld (1835) Annalen der Physik, Halle, Leipzig: 36: 473 (as Perowskyn).

    Berzelius (1836) Jahresber.: 15: 211 (as Tetraphylin).

    Tschermak (1863) Konigliche Akademie der Wissenschaften, Vienna, Sitzber.: 47: 282.

    Dana, E.S. (1892) System of Mineralogy, 6th. Edition, New York: 756.

    Penfield and Pratt (1895) American Journal of Science: 50: 387.

    Mäkinen (1913) Bull. Comm.. geol.. Finlande, no. 35: 96.

    LAubmann and Steinmetz (1920) Zeitschrift für Kristallographie, Mineralogie und Petrographie, Leipzig: 55: 561.

    Hintze, Carl (1922) Handbuch der Mineralogie. Berlin and Leipzig. 6 volumes: 1 [4A]: 226.

    Goldschmidt, V. (1923) Atlas der Krystallformen. 9 volumes, atlas, and text. Heidelberg: vol. 9: 6.

    Oswald in: WAlker (1931) University of Toronto Studies, Geology Series, no. 30: 10.

    Gossner and Strunz (1932) Zeitschrift für Kristallographie, Mineralogie und Petrographie, Leipzig: 83: 415.

    Björling and Westgren (1938) Geologiska Föeningens I Stockholm. Förhandlinger, Stockholm: 60: 67.

    Switzer (1938) American Mineralogist: 23: 811.

    Mason (1941) Geologiska Föeningens I Stockholm. Förhandlinger, Stockholm: 63: 117.

    Mason (1942) Geologiska Föeningens I Stockholm. Förhandlinger, Stockholm: 64: 335.

    Chapman (1943) American Mineralogist: 28: 90.

    Eriksson (1946) Arkiv för Kemi, Mineralogi och Geologi, Stockholm: 23, no. 8.

    Lindberg (1950) American Mineralogist: 35: 59.

    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.: 665-669.

    Acta Crystallographica (1993): B49: 147-153.

    Internet Links for Triphylite

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  • Raman and XRD data at RRUFF project
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  • Search for Triphylite in the Natural History Museum (London) online catalogue
  • Triphylite details from Handbook of Mineralogy (PDF)
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    Localities for Triphylite

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