Tiptopite
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About Tiptopite
Formula:
K2(Na,Ca)2Li3Be6(PO4)6(OH)2 · H2O
Colour:
Colourless
Lustre:
Vitreous
Hardness:
3½
Specific Gravity:
2,65
Crystal System:
Hexagonal
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
Approved
Approval Year:
1983
7/D.02-10
8.DA.25
8 : PHOSPHATES, ARSENATES, VANADATES
D : Phosphates, etc. with additional anions, with H2O
A : With small (and occasionally larger) cations
8 : PHOSPHATES, ARSENATES, VANADATES
D : Phosphates, etc. with additional anions, with H2O
A : With small (and occasionally larger) cations
42.6.11.1
42 : HYDRATED PHOSPHATES, ETC.CONTAINING HYDROXYL OR HALOGEN
6 : A2(XO4)Zq·xH2O
42 : HYDRATED PHOSPHATES, ETC.CONTAINING HYDROXYL OR HALOGEN
6 : A2(XO4)Zq·xH2O
19.3.10
19 : Phosphates
3 : Phosphates of Be and Mg
19 : Phosphates
3 : Phosphates of Be and Mg
Physical Properties of Tiptopite
Vitreous
Transparency:
Transparent
Colour:
Colourless
Hardness:
3½ on Mohs scale
Density:
2,65 g/cm3 (Measured)
Comment:
average density (4 measurements) in Grice et al. (1985)
Optical Data of Tiptopite
Type:
Uniaxial (+)
RI values:
nω = 1.551 nε = 1.559
Max Birefringence:
δ = 0.008
Image shows birefringence interference colour range (at 30µm thickness)
and does not take into account mineral colouration.
and does not take into account mineral colouration.
Surface Relief:
Low
Chemical Properties of Tiptopite
Formula:
K2(Na,Ca)2Li3Be6(PO4)6(OH)2 · H2O
IMA Formula:
K2(Li,Na,Ca)6(Be6P6)O24(OH)2 · 1.3H2O
Crystallography of Tiptopite
Crystal System:
Hexagonal
Cell Parameters:
a = 11.65 Å, c = 4.69 Å
Ratio:
a:c = 1 : 0.403
Unit Cell V:
551.26 ų (Calculated from Unit Cell)
Type Occurrence of Tiptopite
Place of Conservation of Type Material:
According to Grice et al. (1985):
National Museum of Natural Sciences, Ottawa (NMNS #48833)
Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C. (#149609)
Museum of Geology, South Dakota School of Mines, Rapid City (SDSM & T #81-5102)
National Museum of Natural Sciences, Ottawa (NMNS #48833)
Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C. (#149609)
Museum of Geology, South Dakota School of Mines, Rapid City (SDSM & T #81-5102)
Synonyms of Tiptopite
Other Language Names for Tiptopite
Common Associates
Associated Minerals Based on Photo Data:
| Montgomeryite | 6 photos of Tiptopite associated with Montgomeryite on mindat.org. |
| Roscherite | 4 photos of Tiptopite associated with Roscherite on mindat.org. |
| Pahasapaite | 2 photos of Tiptopite associated with Pahasapaite on mindat.org. |
| Englishite | 2 photos of Tiptopite associated with Englishite on mindat.org. |
| Fransoletite | 2 photos of Tiptopite associated with Fransoletite on mindat.org. |
| Robertsite | 1 photo of Tiptopite associated with Robertsite on mindat.org. |
| Hurlbutite | 1 photo of Tiptopite associated with Hurlbutite on mindat.org. |
Related Minerals - Nickel-Strunz Grouping
| 8.DA.05 | Bearsite | Be2(AsO4)(OH) · 4H2O | Mon. |
| 8.DA.05 | Moraesite | Be2(PO4)(OH) · 4H2O | Mon. |
| 8.DA.10 | Roscherite | Ca2Mn2+5Be4(PO4)6(OH)4 · 6H2O | Mon. 2/m : B2/m |
| 8.DA.10 | Zanazziite | Ca2Mg5Be4(PO4)6(OH)4 · 6H2O | Mon. 2/m : B2/b |
| 8.DA.10 | Greifensteinite | Ca2Fe2+5Be4(PO4)6(OH)4 · 6H2O | Mon. |
| 8.DA.10 | Atencioite | Ca2Fe2+3Mg2Be4(PO4)6(OH)4 · 6H2O | |
| 8.DA.10 | Ruifrancoite | Ca2(◻,Mn)2(Fe3+,Mn,Mg)4Be4(PO4)6(OH)4(OH,H2O)2 · 4H2O | Mon. 2/m : B2/b |
| 8.DA.10 | Guimarãesite | Ca2Be4Zn5(PO4)6(OH)4 · 6H2O | Mon. 2/m : B2/b |
| 8.DA.10 | Footemineite | Ca2Mn2+Mn2+2Mn2+2Be4(PO4)6(OH)4 · 6H2O | Tric. 1 : P1 |
| 8.DA.15 | Uralolite | Ca2Be4(PO4)3(OH)3 · 5H2O | Mon. |
| 8.DA.20 | Weinebeneite | CaBe3(PO4)2(OH)2 · 4H2O | Mon. |
| 8.DA.30 | Veszelyite | (Cu,Zn)2Zn(PO4)2 · 2H2O | Mon. 2/m : P21/b |
| 8.DA.35 | Kipushite | (Cu,Zn)5Zn(PO4)2(OH)6 · H2O | Mon. |
| 8.DA.35 | Philipsburgite | (Cu,Zn)6(AsO4,PO4)2(OH)6 · H2O | Mon. |
| 8.DA.40 | Spencerite | Zn4(PO4)2(OH)2 · 3H2O | Mon. 2/m : P2/b |
| 8.DA.45 | Glucine | CaBe4(PO4)2(OH)4 · 0.5H2O | |
| 8.DA.50 | Ianbruceite | [Zn2(OH)(H2O)(AsO4)](H2O)2 | Mon. 2/m : P21/b |
Related Minerals - Dana Grouping (8th Ed.)
| 42.6.11. | Ianbruceite | [Zn2(OH)(H2O)(AsO4)](H2O)2 | Mon. 2/m : P21/b |
Related Minerals - Hey's Chemical Index of Minerals Grouping
| 19.3.1 | Moraesite | Be2(PO4)(OH) · 4H2O | Mon. |
| 19.3.2 | Beryllonite | NaBePO4 | Mon. 2/m : P21/b |
| 19.3.3 | Hurlbutite | CaBe2(PO4)2 | Mon. |
| 19.3.4 | Hydroxylherderite | CaBe(PO4)(OH,F) | Mon. 2/m : P21/b |
| 19.3.5 | Glucine | CaBe4(PO4)2(OH)4 · 0.5H2O | |
| 19.3.6 | Fransoletite | Ca3Be2(PO4)2(HPO4)2 · 4H2O | Mon. |
| 19.3.7 | Uralolite | Ca2Be4(PO4)3(OH)3 · 5H2O | Mon. |
| 19.3.9 | Pahasapaite | Li8(Ca,Li,K)10.5Be24(PO4)24 · 38H2O | Iso. 2 3 : I2 3 |
| 19.3.11 | Gainesite | Na(Na,K)(Be,Li)Zr2(PO4)4 · 1.5-2H2O | Tet. 4mm : I41md |
| 19.3.12 | Roscherite | Ca2Mn2+5Be4(PO4)6(OH)4 · 6H2O | Mon. 2/m : B2/m |
| 19.3.13 | Faheyite | Be2Mn2+Fe3+2(PO4)4 · 6H2O | Trig. 3 2 : P31 2 1 |
| 19.3.14 | Farringtonite | Mg3(PO4)2 | Mon. 2/m |
| 19.3.15 | Holtedahlite | Mg2(PO4)(OH) | Trig. 3m : P3 1m |
| 19.3.16 | Althausite | Mg4(PO4)2(OH,O)(F,☐) | Orth. mmm (2/m 2/m 2/m) : Pnma |
| 19.3.17 | Newberyite | Mg(HPO4) · 3H2O | Orth. mmm (2/m 2/m 2/m) : Pbca |
| 19.3.18 | Phosphorrösslerite | Mg(HPO4) · 7H2O | Mon. 2/m : P2/b |
| 19.3.19 | Bobierrite | Mg3(PO4)2 · 8H2O | Mon. 2/m : B2/b |
| 19.3.20 | Barićite | (Mg,Fe)3(PO4)2 · 8H2O | Mon. 2/m : B2/m |
| 19.3.21 | Panethite | (Na,Ca)2(Mg,Fe2+)2(PO4)2 | Mon. 2/m : P21/b |
| 19.3.22 | Dittmarite | (NH4)Mg(PO4) · H2O | Orth. |
| 19.3.23 | Struvite | (NH4)Mg(PO4) · 6H2O | Orth. mm2 |
| 19.3.24 | Hannayite | (NH4)2Mg3H4(PO4)4 · 8H2O | Tric. 1 : P1 |
Other Information
Health Risks:
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:
Sort by Year (asc) | by Year (desc) | by Author (A-Z) | by Author (Z-A)
Canadian Mineralogist (1985): 23: 43-46.
American Mineralogist (1986): 71: 230.
American Mineralogist (1987): 72: 816-820.
Internet Links for Tiptopite
mindat.org URL:
https://www.mindat.org/min-3973.html
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Localities for Tiptopite
ⓘ - Click for further information on this occurrence.
? - Indicates mineral may be doubtful at this locality.
- Good crystals or important locality for species.
- World class for species or very significant.
(TL) - Type Locality for a valid mineral species.
(FRL) - First Recorded Locality for everything else (eg varieties).
Struck out - Mineral was erroneously reported from this locality.
Faded * - Never found at this locality but inferred to have existed at some point in the past (eg from pseudomorphs.)
All localities listed without proper references should be considered as questionable.
- Good crystals or important locality for species.
- World class for species or very significant.
(TL) - Type Locality for a valid mineral species.
(FRL) - First Recorded Locality for everything else (eg varieties).
All localities listed without proper references should be considered as questionable.
USA (TL) | |
| Rocks & Minerals: 60: 117. |
Tip Top Mine, Fourmile, Custer District, Custer Co., South Dakota, USA