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Variscite

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Variscite, etc.

Ribeirão Cascalheira, Mato Grosso, Brazil
Variscite

Little Green Monster Variscite Mine, Clay Canyon, Fairfield, Oquirrh Mts, Utah Co., Utah, USA
Variscite

Beauvoir quarry, Échassières, Ébreuil, Allier, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, France
Variscite, etc.

Ribeirão Cascalheira, Mato Grosso, Brazil
Variscite

Little Green Monster Variscite Mine, Clay Canyon, Fairfield, Oquirrh Mts, Utah Co., Utah, USA
Variscite

Beauvoir quarry, Échassières, Ébreuil, Allier, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, France
Variscite, etc.

Ribeirão Cascalheira, Mato Grosso, Brazil
Variscite

Little Green Monster Variscite Mine, Clay Canyon, Fairfield, Oquirrh Mts, Utah Co., Utah, USA
The cliff

Schneckenstein cliff, Kielberg, Klingenthal, Vogtland, Saxony, Germany
Formula:
AlPO4 · 2H2O
System:
Orthorhombic
Colour:
Pale to emerald-green, ...
Lustre:
Vitreous, Waxy
Hardness:
3½ - 4½
Member of:
Name:
For Variscia, an old name for Vogtland, the German district where the mineral was first discovered.
Dimorph of:
Metavariscite
Variscite-Strengite Series.
The orthorhombic dimorph of Metavariscite.

Pseudo-tetragonal-dipyramidal crystals may be confused with wardite.

Visit gemdat.org for gemological information about Variscite.


Classification of Variscite

IMA status:
Approved, 'Grandfathered' (first described prior to 1959)
Approval Year:
1967
Strunz 8th ed.:
7/C.09-50
Nickel-Strunz 10th (pending) ed.:
8.CD.10

8 : PHOSPHATES, ARSENATES, VANADATES
C : Phosphates without additional anions, with H2O
D : With only medium-sized cations, RO4:H2O = 1:2
Dana 8th ed.:
40.4.1.1

40 : HYDRATED NORMAL PHOSPHATES,ARSENATES AND VANADATES
4 : (AB)5(XO4)2·xH2O
Hey's CIM Ref.:
19.7.5

19 : Phosphates
7 : Phosphates of Al alone

Physical Properties of Variscite

Lustre:
Vitreous, Waxy
Diaphaneity (Transparency):
Transparent, Translucent
Colour:
Pale to emerald-green, bluish green, colourless to white, pale shades of brown or yellow, rarely red; Colourless to pale green in transmitted light.
Streak:
White
Hardness (Mohs):
3½ - 4½
Cleavage:
Distinct/Good
Good on {010}, poor on {001}.
Fracture:
Irregular/Uneven, Splintery
Comment:
Sub-conchoidal to conchoidal when fine-grained or glassy.
Density:
2.57 - 2.61 g/cm3 (Measured)    2.59 g/cm3 (Calculated)
Comment:
Density of 2.2 to 2.5 observed in microcrystalline and massive varieties.

Optical Data of Variscite

Type:
Biaxial (-)
RI values:
nα = 1.563 nβ = 1.588 nγ = 1.594
2V:
Measured: 50° , Calculated: 50°
Max Birefringence:
δ = 0.031
Image shows birefringence interference colour range (at 30µm thickness) and does not take into account mineral colouration.
Surface Relief:
Moderate
Dispersion:
r < v perceptible

Chemical Properties of Variscite

Formula:
AlPO4 · 2H2O
Elements listed in formula:
Al, H, O, P - search for minerals with similar chemistry
Common Impurities:
Fe,As

Crystallography of Variscite

Crystal System:
Orthorhombic
Class (H-M):
mmm (2/m 2/m 2/m) - Dipyramidal
Space Group:
Pbca
Cell Parameters:
a = 9.822 Å, b = 8.561 Å, c = 9.63 Å
Ratio:
a:b:c = 1.147 : 1 : 1.125
Unit Cell Volume:
V 808.81 ų
Z:
8
Morphology:
Uncommon in crystals, pseudo-octahedral {111}, with {001} and additional forms as modifying faces only, lathlike. Commonly fine-grained massive, nodular, stalagtitic, crustiform, veinlets; chalcedonic, opaline.
Twinning:
On {201}, rare.
X-Ray Powder Diffraction:
Image Loading

Radiation - Copper Kα
Data Set:
Data courtesy of RRUFF project at University of Arizona, used with permission.

Occurrences of Variscite

Type Occurrence of Variscite

Type Locality:
ⓘ Meßbach Quarry, Meßbach, Plauen, Vogtland, Saxony, Germany

Relationship of Variscite to other Species

Series:
Forms a series with Strengite (see here)
Member of:
Variscite Group
Other Members of Group:
MansfielditeAlAsO4 · 2H2O
ScoroditeFe3+AsO4 · 2H2O
StrengiteFePO4 · 2H2O
YanomamiteInAsO4 · 2H2O
Common Associates:
Apatite
Chalcedony
Crandallite
Limonite
Metavariscite
Wavellite
Related Minerals - Nickel-Strunz Grouping):
8.CD.CastellaroiteMn32+(AsO4)2·4H2O
8.CD.05KolbeckiteScPO4 · 2H2O
8.CD.05MetavarisciteAlPO4 · 2H2O
8.CD.05PhosphosideriteFePO4 · 2H2O
8.CD.05UM2005-02-AsO:AlHPScSiScAsO4 · 2H2O
8.CD.10MansfielditeAlAsO4 · 2H2O
8.CD.10ScoroditeFe3+AsO4 · 2H2O
8.CD.10StrengiteFePO4 · 2H2O
8.CD.10YanomamiteInAsO4 · 2H2O
8.CD.15ParascoroditeFeAsO4 · 2H2O
8.CD.20Ludlamite(Fe,Mn,Mg)3(PO4)2 · 4H2O
8.CD.25SterlinghilliteMn3(AsO4)2 · 4H2O
8.CD.30RollanditeCu3(AsO4)2 · 4H2O
Related Minerals - Hey's Index Grouping:
19.7.1BerliniteAlPO4
19.7.2AugeliteAl2(PO4)(OH)3
19.7.3TrolleiteAl4(PO4)3(OH)3
19.7.4SenegaliteAl2(PO4)(OH)(OH)2 · H2O
19.7.6MetavarisciteAlPO4 · 2H2O
19.7.7BolivariteAl2(PO4)(OH)3 · 4-5H2O
19.7.8WavelliteAl3(PO4)2(OH,F)3 · 5H2O
19.7.9EvansiteAl3(PO4)(OH)6 · 6H2O
19.7.10VantasseliteAl4(PO4)3(OH)3 · 9H2O
19.7.11KingiteAl3(PO4)2F2(OH) · 7H2O
19.7.12VashegyiteAl11(PO4)9(OH)6 · 38H2O

Other Names for Variscite

Synonyms:

Alpha-variscite

Amatrice

Chlor-utahlite

Chlor-utalite

Lucinite

Peganite

Sphaerite

Utahlite

Name in Other Languages:
Dutch:Varisciet
French:Variquoise
Italian:Variscite
Polish:Waryscyt
Simplified Chinese:磷铝石
Slovak:Variscit
Traditional Chinese:磷鋁石
Varieties:

Ferrian Variscite

Gelvariscite

Redondite

Other Information

Other Information:
Soluble in alkalies. Slightly soluble in HCl (fine-grained or chalcedonic material).

Easily altered by alkaline solutions containing alkaline earths or alkalies, yielding secondary minerals including crandallite, wardite, Montgomeryite, etc.
Health Risks:
No information on health risks for this material has been entered into the database. You should always treat mineral specimens with care.
Industrial Uses:
Gemstones & jewelry.

References for Variscite

Reference List:
Breithaupt (1830) Journal für Chemie und Physik, Nuremberg: 60: 308 (as Peganite).

Breithaupt (1837) Journal für praktische Chemie, Leipzig: 10: 506.

Chester (1878) American Journal of Science: 15: 207.

Kunz (1895) USGS 16th Annual Report, part 4: 602 (as Utahlite).

Tschirwinsky (1904) Ann. géol. min. Russie: 7: 28.


Sterrett (1908) USGS Mineral Resources, part 2: 832 (as Amatrice).

Sterrett (1909) USGS Mineral Resources, part 2: 853 (as Chlor-utahlite).

Pisani analysis in: Lacroix, A. (1910) Minéralogie de la France et des ses colonies, Paris. 5 volumes: vol. 4: 480-481.

Pelloux (1912) Ann. Mus. Genova: 5: 470.

Schaller (1912) Proceedings of the U.S. National Museum: 41: 413.

Schaller (1912) Zeitschrift für Kristallographie, Mineralogie und Petrographie, Leipzig: 50: 321.

Schaller (1916) USGS Bull. 610: 56 (as Lucinite).

Moschetti (1918) Acc. Torino, Att.: 53: 1062.

Loczka analysis in: Ulrich (1922) Rozpr. České Ak., Cl. 2, 31, no. 10.

Larsen, E.S. and Schaller (1925).

Machatschki (1929) Centralblatt für Mineralogie, Geologie und Paleontologie, Stuttgart: 321.

Ulrich (1930) Rozpr. České Ak., Cl. 2, 39, no. 17 (as Alpha-variscite).

Hintze, Carl (1933) Handbuch der Mineralogie. Berlin and Leipzig. 6 volumes: 1 [4A]: 1283, 1288.

Strunz and Sztrókay (1939) Zentralblatt Mineralien: 272.

McConnell (1940) American Mineralogist: 25: 719.

Kolbeck (1941) Mineralogische und petrographische Mitteilungen, Vienna: 52: 363.

Larsen, E.S. (1942) American Mineralogist: 27: 281.

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.: 756-761.

American Mineralogist (1972): 57: 36-44.

Acta Crystallographica (1977): B33: 263.

Anthony, J.W., Bideaux, R.A., Bladh, K.W., and Nichols, M.C. (2000) Handbook of Mineralogy, Volume IV. Arsenates, Phosphates, Vanadates. Mineral Data Publishing, Tucson, AZ, 680pp.: 621.

Internet Links for Variscite

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