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Vantasselite

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Bihain, Vielsalm, Stavelot Massif, Luxembourg Province, Belgium

Show Vantasselite Photos (14)
Formula:
Al
 
4
[OH|PO
 
4
]
 
3
 · 9H
 
2
O
System:OrthorhombicColour:White
Hardness:2 - 2½
Name:Named after René Van Tassel (b. 1916), mineralogist, Belgian Institute for Natural Sciences.


Vantasselite Group

Classification of Vantasselite

IMA status:Approved 1986
Strunz 8th edition ID:7/D.12-20
Nickel-Strunz 10th (pending) edition ID:8.DC.37

8 : PHOSPHATES, ARSENATES, VANADATES
D : Phosphates, etc. with additional anions, with H2O
C : With only medium-sized cations, (OH, etc.):RO4 = 1:1 and < 2:1
Dana 8th edition ID:42.12.1.1

42 : HYDRATED PHOSPHATES, ETC.CONTAINING HYDROXYL OR HALOGEN
12 : (AB)4(XO4)3Zq·xH2O
Hey's CIM Ref.:19.7.10

19 : Phosphates
7 : Phosphates of Al alone
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Type Occurrence of Vantasselite

Type Locality:Bihain, Vielsalm, Stavelot Massif, Luxembourg Province, Belgium
Year of Discovery:1987

Physical Properties of Vantasselite

Lustre:Pearly
Colour:White
Hardness (Mohs):2 - 2½

Crystallography of Vantasselite

Crystal System:Orthorhombic
Cell Parameters:a = 10.52Å, b = 16.54Å, c = 20.37Å
Ratio:a:b:c = 0.636 : 1 : 1.232
Unit Cell Volume:V 3,544.40 ų (Calculated from Unit Cell)

Optical Data of Vantasselite

Type:Biaxial (-)
RI values: nα = 1.511 - 1.511 nβ = 1.560 nγ = 1.578
2V:Measured: 61° , Calculated: 60°
Maximum Birefringence:δ = 0.067

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

Chemical Properties of Vantasselite

Formula:
Al
 
4
[OH|PO
 
4
]
 
3
 · 9H
 
2
O
Essential elements:Al, H, O, P
All elements listed in formula:Al, H, O, P

Relationship of Vantasselite to other Species

Related Minerals - Nickel-Strunz Grouping):
8.DC.IMA 2007-057
CuFe
3+
2
(PO
 
4
)
 
2
(OH)
 
2
·4H
 
2
O
8.DC.05Nissonite
Cu
 
2
Mg
 
2
[OH|PO
 
4
]
 
2
 · 5H
 
2
O
8.DC.07Euchroite
Cu
 
2
[OH|AsO
 
4
] · 3H
 
2
O
8.DC.10Legrandite
Zn
 
2
[OH|AsO
 
4
] · H
 
2
O
8.DC.12Strashimirite
Cu
 
8
[OH|AsO
 
4
]
 
4
 · 5H
 
2
O
8.DC.15Arthurite
CuFe
3+
2
[(OH,O)|(AsO
 
4
,PO
 
4
,SO
 
4
)]
 
2
 · 4H
 
2
O
8.DC.15Earlshannonite
Mn
2+
 
Fe
3+
2
(PO
 
4
)
 
2
(OH)
 
2
·4H
 
2
O
8.DC.15Ojuelaite
ZnFe
3+
2
(AsO
 
4
)
 
2
(OH)
 
2
 · 4H
 
2
O
8.DC.15Whitmoreite
Fe
2+
 
Fe
3+
2
(PO
 
4
)
 
2
(OH)
 
2
 · 4H
 
2
O
8.DC.15Cobaltarthurite
(Co,Mg)Fe
3+
2
(AsO
 
4
)
 
2
(OH)
 
2
 · 4H
 
2
O
8.DC.15Bendadaite
Fe
2+
 
Fe
3+
2
(AsO
 
4
)
 
2
(OH)
 
2
 · 4H
 
2
O
8.DC.17Kleemanite
ZnAl
 
2
[OH|PO
 
4
]
 
2
 · 3H
 
2
O
8.DC.20Bermanite
Mn
2+
 
Mn
3+
2
[OH|PO
 
4
]
 
2
 · 4H
 
2
O
8.DC.22Kovdorskite
Mg
 
2
(PO
 
4
)(OH)·3H
 
2
O
8.DC.25Ferristrunzite
Fe
3+
3
[OH|PO
 
4
]
 
2
 · 5(H
 
2
O,OH)
8.DC.25Ferrostrunzite
Fe
2+
 
Fe
3+
2
[OH|PO
 
4
]
 
2
 · 6H
 
2
O
8.DC.25Metavauxite
Fe
2+
 
Al
 
2
[OH|PO
 
4
]
 
2
 · 8H
 
2
O
8.DC.25Strunzite
Mn
2+
 
Fe
3+
2
[OH|PO
 
4
]
 
2
 · 6H
 
2
O
8.DC.27Beraunite
Fe
2+
 
Fe
3+
5
[(OH)
 
5
|(PO
 
4
)
 
4
] · 4H
 
2
O
8.DC.30Gordonite
MgAl
 
2
[OH|PO
 
4
]
 
2
 · 8H
 
2
O
8.DC.30Laueite
Mn
2+
 
Fe
3+
2
[OH|PO
 
4
]
 
2
 · 8H
 
2
O
8.DC.30Mangangordonite
Mn
2+
 
Al
 
2
[OH|PO
 
4
]
 
2
 · 8H
 
2
O
8.DC.30Paravauxite
Fe
2+
 
Al
 
2
[OH|PO
 
4
]
 
2
 · 8H
 
2
O
8.DC.30Pseudolaueite
Mn
2+
 
Fe
3+
2
[OH|PO
 
4
]
 
2
 · 8H
 
2
O
8.DC.30Sigloite
Fe
3+
 
Al
 
2
[(OH)
 
3
|(PO
 
4
)
 
2
] · 7H
 
2
O
8.DC.30Stewartite
Mn
2+
 
Fe
3+
2
[OH|PO
 
4
]
 
2
 · 8H
 
2
O
8.DC.30Ushkovite
MgFe
3+
2
[PO
 
4
]
 
2
(OH)
 
2
 · 8H
 
2
O
8.DC.30Ferrolaueite
Fe
2+
 
Fe
3+
2
(PO
 
4
)
 
2
(OH)
 
2
 · 8H
 
2
O
8.DC.30Kastningite
(Mn
2+
 
,Fe
2+
 
,Mg)Al
 
2
[OH|PO
 
4
]
 
2
 · 8H
 
2
O
8.DC.30Maghrebite
MgAl
 
2
[OH|AsO
 
4
]
 
2
 · 8H
 
2
O
8.DC.32Tinticite
Fe
3+
4
[OH|PO
 
4
]
 
3
 · 5H
 
2
O
8.DC.35Vauxite
Fe
2+
 
Al
 
2
[OH|PO
 
4
]
 
2
 · 6H
 
2
O
8.DC.40Cacoxenite
Fe
3+
24
Al[(OH)
 
12
|O
 
6
|(PO
 
4
)
 
17
] · 17H
 
2
O
8.DC.45Gormanite
(Fe
2+
 
,Mg)
 
3
(Al,Fe
3+
 
)
 
4
[(OH)
 
3
|(PO
 
4
)
 
2
]
 
2
 · 2H
 
2
O
8.DC.45Souzalite
(Mg,Fe
2+
 
)
 
3
(Al,Fe
3+
 
)
 
4
[(OH)
 
3
|(PO
 
4
)
 
2
]
 
2
 · 2H
 
2
O
8.DC.47Kingite
Al
 
3
[(OH)
 
3
|(PO
 
4
)
 
2
] · 9H
 
2
O
8.DC.50Wavellite
Al
 
3
[(OH,F)
 
3
|(PO
 
4
)
 
2
] · 5H
 
2
O
8.DC.50Allanpringite
Fe
3+
3
[(OH)
 
3
|(PO
 
4
)
 
2
] · 5H
 
2
O
8.DC.52Kribergite
Al
 
5
[(OH)
 
4
|SO
 
4
|(PO
 
4
)
 
3
] · 4H
 
2
O
8.DC.55Mapimite
Zn
 
2
Fe
3+
3
[(OH)
 
4
|(AsO
 
4
)
 
3
] · 10H
 
2
O
8.DC.57Ogdensburgite
Ca
 
2
Fe
3+
4
(Zn,Mn
2+
 
)[(OH)
 
3
|(AsO
 
4
)
 
2
]
 
2
 · 6H
 
2
O
8.DC.60Nevadaite
(Cu
2+
 
,Al,V
3+
 
)
 
6
Al
 
8
(PO
 
4
)
 
8
F
 
8
(OH)
 
2
(H
 
2
O)
 
22
8.DC.60Cloncurryite
(Cu,VO)Al
 
2
[(F,OH)|PO
 
4
]
 
2
 · 4.5-5H
 
2
O
Related Minerals - Hey's Index Grouping:
19.7.1Berlinite
Al[PO
 
4
]
19.7.2Augelite
Al
 
2
[(OH)
 
3
|PO
 
4
]
19.7.3Trolleite
Al
 
4
[OH|PO
 
4
]
 
3
19.7.4Senegalite
Al
 
2
[(OH)
 
3
|PO
 
4
] · H
 
2
O
19.7.5Variscite
AlPO
 
4
·2H
 
2
O
19.7.6Metavariscite
AlPO
 
4
·2H
 
2
O
19.7.7Bolivarite
Al
 
2
[(OH)
 
3
|PO
 
4
] · 4-5H
 
2
O
19.7.8Wavellite
Al
 
3
[(OH,F)
 
3
|(PO
 
4
)
 
2
] · 5H
 
2
O
19.7.9Evansite
Al
 
3
[(OH)
 
6
|PO
 
4
] · 6H
 
2
O
19.7.11Kingite
Al
 
3
[(OH)
 
3
|(PO
 
4
)
 
2
] · 9H
 
2
O
19.7.12Vashegyite
Al
 
11
[(OH)
 
6
|(PO
 
4
)
 
9
] · 38H
 
2
O

Other Names for Vantasselite

Synonyms:
IMA1986-016
German names:
Vantasselit
Spanish names:
Vantasselita

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 Vantasselite

Reference List:Bulletin de la Société française de Minéralogie et de Cristallographie (1987): 110: 647-656.

American Mineralogist (1988): 73: 931.

Internet Links for Vantasselite

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    Localities for Vantasselite

    (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.
    Belgium
     
    • Luxembourg Province
      • Stavelot Massif
        • Vielsalm
    		Bull.Min.(1987) 110, 647-656; J.W. Anthony, R.A. Bideaux, K.W. Bladh, M.C. Nichols: Handbook of Mineralogy, Vol. IV (2000)
    A. Van Herreweghe collection
    Germany
     
    • Hesse
      • Wetzlar
        • Weilburg
          • Essershausen
    		Blaß, G. (2002): Eine neue Phosphatmineralien-Paragenese von der Grube Mark bei Essershausen, mittleres Lahngebiet, Taunus. Mineralien-Welt, 13 (6), 18-43. (in German)
    • North Rhine-Westphalia
      • Sauerland
        • Meschede
          • Bestwig
    		Wittern: "Mineralfundorte in Deutschland", 2001
    Japan
     
    • Honshu Island
      • Kinki region
        • Mie Prefecture
    		Inaba & Minakawa (1996) Chigaku Kenkyu, 44, 199-203.
    Mineral and/or Locality
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