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Cheralite

Big Photo

Fluorite mine, Valzergues, Decazeville, Aveyron, Midi-Pyrénées, France
© Jacques Valverde

Show Cheralite Photos (4)
Formula:
(Ca,Ce)(Th,Ce)[PO
 
4
]
 
2
System:MonoclinicLustre:Vitreous
Hardness:5


Monazite Group. The CaTh(PO4)2-dominant member of the group.
Redefined very recently (Linthout, 2007).
Not to be confused with the recently discredited cheralite-(Ce) (= Ca-rich monazite-(Ce)).

Classification of Cheralite

IMA status:Valid - first described prior to 1959 (pre-IMA) - "Grandfathered" 1953
Explanation of status:CNMMN 05-F: The name cheralite is applied to the members dominated by CaTh(PO4)2 in the system 2(REEPO4) - CaTh(PO4)2 - 2(ThSiO4); the name brabantite is discredited; see Linthout (2007).
Strunz 8th edition ID:7/A.15-40
Strunz 9th edition ID:8.BD.50
Nickel-Strunz 10th (pending) edition ID:8.AD.50

8 : PHOSPHATES, ARSENATES, VANADATES
A : Phosphates, etc. without additional anions, without H2O
D : With only large cations
Dana 8th edition ID:38.4.3.5

38 : ANHYDROUS NORMAL PHOSPHATES, ARSENATES, AND VANADATES
4 : AXO4
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Type Occurrence of Cheralite

Type Locality:Kuttakuzhi (Kuttankuli), Trivandrum, Kerala (Travancore), India

Physical Properties of Cheralite

Lustre:Vitreous
Hardness (Mohs):5

Crystallography of Cheralite

Crystal System:Monoclinic

Optical Data of Cheralite

Type:Biaxial (+)
RI values: nα = 1.779 nβ = 1.780 nγ = 1.817
2V:Measured: 17° to 20°, Calculated: 20°
Maximum Birefringence:δ = 0.038

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

Chemical Properties of Cheralite

Formula:
(Ca,Ce)(Th,Ce)[PO
 
4
]
 
2
Essential elements:Ce, O, P
All elements listed in formula:Ca, Ce, O, P, Th

Relationship of Cheralite to other Species

Related Minerals - Nickel-Strunz Grouping):

- +
8.AD.05Nahpoite
Na
 
2
HPO
 
4
8.AD.10Monetite
CaHPO
 
4
8.AD.10Weilite
CaHAsO
 
4
8.AD.10Švenekite
Ca(H
 
2
AsO
 
4
)
 
2
8.AD.15Archerite
(K,NH
 
4
)[H
 
2
PO
 
4
]
8.AD.15Biphosphammite
(NH
 
4
,K)H
 
2
PO
 
4
8.AD.20Phosphammite
(NH
 
4
)
 
2
HPO
 
4
8.AD.25Buchwaldite
NaCaPO
 
4
8.AD.30Schultenite
PbHAsO
 
4
8.AD.35Chernovite-(Y)
YAsO
 
4
8.AD.35Dreyerite
BiVO
 
4
8.AD.35Wakefieldite-(Ce)
CeVO
 
4
8.AD.35Wakefieldite-(Y)
YVO
 
4
8.AD.35Xenotime-(Y)
YPO
 
4
8.AD.35Pretulite
ScPO
 
4
8.AD.35Xenotime-(Yb)
(Yb,Y,HREE)PO
 
4
8.AD.35Wakefieldite-(La)
LaVO
 
4
8.AD.40Pucherite
BiVO
 
4
8.AD.45Ximengite
BiPO
 
4
8.AD.50Gasparite-(Ce)
(Ce,REE)AsO
 
4
8.AD.50Monazite-(Ce)
(Ce,La,Nd,Th)PO
 
4
8.AD.50Monazite-(La)
(La,Ce,Nd)PO
 
4
8.AD.50Monazite-(Nd)
(Nd,La,Ce)PO
 
4
8.AD.50Rooseveltite
BiAsO
 
4
8.AD.50Monazite-(Sm)
(Sm,Gd,Ce,Th)(PO
 
4
)
8.AD.50UM2005-35-VO:CaFePSiTh
(Th,Ca)[VO
 
4
,SiO
 
4
,PO
 
4
]
8.AD.55Tetrarooseveltite
Bi(AsO
 
4
)
8.AD.60Chursinite
(Hg-Hg)
 
0.5
Hg
2+
 
[AsO
 
4
]
8.AD.65Clinobisvanite
BiVO
 
4

Other Names for Cheralite

Other Languages:
German:Cheralith
Russian:Чералит

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 Cheralite

Reference List:Neues Jahrbuch für Mineralogie, Monatshefte (1995), 344-350.

Anthony, Bideaux, Bladh & Nichols (2000), Handbook of Mineralogy, Vol. IV: 105.

American Mineralogist: 38: 734.

American Mineralogist: 39: 403.

American Mineralogist (1967): 52: 13.

Mineralogical Magazine 43 (1980): 885.

Trends in Mineralogy (1992): 1: 103.

Linthout, K. (2007): Tripartite division of the system 2REEPO4 – CaTh(PO4)2– 2ThSiO4, discreditation of brabantite, and recognition of cheralite as the name for members dominated by CaTh(PO4)2. Can. Mineral. 45, 503-508.

Internet Links for Cheralite

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    Localities for Cheralite

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