Wolfeite
A valid IMA mineral species - grandfathered
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About Wolfeite
Formula:
Fe2+2(PO4)(OH)
Colour:
Red-brown to dark brown, green (rare); light brown in transmitted light.
Lustre:
Sub-Adamantine, Sub-Vitreous, Resinous, Greasy
Hardness:
4½ - 5
Specific Gravity:
3.79 - 3.82
Crystal System:
Monoclinic
Member of:
Name:
Named in 1949 by Clifford Frondel in honor of Dr. Caleb Wroe Wolfe ( October 22, 1908- July 17, 1980), American crystallographer and Professor of Geology, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts, USA who was also a systematic mineralogist interested in granite pegmatite phosphates.
The mineral wroewolfeite is also named after him.
The mineral wroewolfeite is also named after him.
Isostructural with:
Unique Identifiers
Mindat ID:
4304
Long-form identifier:
mindat:1:1:4304:1
GUID
(UUID V4):
(UUID V4):
2dc05b97-3519-4ca9-9a3b-546f1084bcab
Classification of Wolfeite
Approved, 'Grandfathered' (first described prior to 1959)
8.BB.15
8 : PHOSPHATES, ARSENATES, VANADATES
B : Phosphates, etc., with additional anions, without H2O
B : With only medium-sized cations, (OH, etc.):RO4 about 1:1
8 : PHOSPHATES, ARSENATES, VANADATES
B : Phosphates, etc., with additional anions, without H2O
B : With only medium-sized cations, (OH, etc.):RO4 about 1:1
41.6.3.1
41 : ANHYDROUS PHOSPHATES, ETC.CONTAINING HYDROXYL OR HALOGEN
6 : A2(XO4)Zq
41 : ANHYDROUS PHOSPHATES, ETC.CONTAINING HYDROXYL OR HALOGEN
6 : A2(XO4)Zq
19.12.12
19 : Phosphates
12 : Phosphates of Mn
19 : Phosphates
12 : Phosphates of Mn
Mineral Symbols
As of 2021 there are now IMAâCNMNC approved mineral symbols (abbreviations) for each mineral species, useful for tables and diagrams.
Symbol | Source | Reference |
---|---|---|
Wol | IMAâCNMNC | Warr, L.N. (2021). IMAâCNMNC approved mineral symbols. Mineralogical Magazine, 85(3), 291-320. doi:10.1180/mgm.2021.43 |
Physical Properties of Wolfeite
Sub-Adamantine, Sub-Vitreous, Resinous, Greasy
Transparency:
Transparent, Translucent
Colour:
Red-brown to dark brown, green (rare); light brown in transmitted light.
Streak:
White, off-white.
Hardness:
4½ - 5 on Mohs scale
Tenacity:
Brittle
Cleavage:
Distinct/Good
On {010}, good; on {120}, fair; on {110}, very poor.
On {010}, good; on {120}, fair; on {110}, very poor.
Fracture:
Irregular/Uneven, Sub-Conchoidal
Density:
3.79 - 3.82 g/cm3 (Measured) 3.88 g/cm3 (Calculated)
Comment:
Density value of 3.83 estimated for the pure Fe2+ end member.
Optical Data of Wolfeite
Type:
Biaxial (+)
RI values:
nα = 1.741 - 1.750 nβ = 1.742 - 1.750 nγ = 1.746 - 1.759
2V:
Measured: 51°
Birefringence:
0.005
Max Birefringence:
δ = 0.005 - 0.009
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:
High
Dispersion:
strong
Pleochroism:
Weak
Comments:
Faintly pleochroic in thick grains.
Chemical Properties of Wolfeite
Formula:
Fe2+2(PO4)(OH)
Elements listed:
Crystallography of Wolfeite
Crystal System:
Monoclinic
Class (H-M):
2/m - Prismatic
Space Group:
P21/b
Setting:
P21/a
Cell Parameters:
a = 12.20 Å, b = 13.17 Å, c = 9.79 Å
β = 108°
β = 108°
Ratio:
a:b:c = 0.926 : 1 : 0.743
Unit Cell V:
1,496.01 Ă
Âł (Calculated from Unit Cell)
Z:
16
Morphology:
Almost always massive, rare crystals prismatic [001], with the prism zone striated vertically.
Crystal Structure
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Unit Cell | Unit Cell Packed
2x2x2 | 3x3x3 | 4x4x4
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Data courtesy of the American Mineralogist Crystal Structure Database. Click on an AMCSD ID to view structure
ID | Species | Reference | Link | Year | Locality | Pressure (GPa) | Temp (K) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
0010339 | Wolfeite | Hatert F (2007) Fe2(PO4)(OH), a synthetic analogue of wolfeite Acta Crystallographica C63 i119-i121 | 2007 | synthetic | 2.5 | 293 | |
0010412 | Wolfeite | Kolitsch U (2003) Mg-rich wolfeite, (Fe,Mg)2(PO4)(OH): structure refinement and Raman spectroscopic data Acta Crystallographica E59 i125-i128 | 2003 | Big Fish River area, Yukon Territory, Canada | 0 | 293 |
CIF Raw Data - click here to close
X-Ray Powder Diffraction
Powder Diffraction Data:
d-spacing | Intensity |
---|---|
3.649 Ă | (25) |
3.381 Ă | (20) |
3.191 Ă | (80) |
3.098 Ă | (100) |
2.929 Ă | (70) |
2.881 Ă | (30) |
2.817 Ă | (60) |
Comments:
Hagendorf, Germany
Geological Environment
Paragenetic Mode(s):
Paragenetic Mode | Earliest Age (Ga) |
---|---|
Near-surface Processes | |
21 : Chemically precipitated carbonate, phosphate, iron formations | |
High-? alteration and/or metamorphism | |
32 : Ba/Mn/Pb/Zn deposits, including metamorphic deposits | |
Stage 4b: Highly evolved igneous rocks | >3.0 |
34 : Complex granite pegmatites | |
Stage 5: Initiation of plate tectonics | <3.5-2.5 |
40 : Regional metamorphism (greenschist, amphibolite, granulite facies) | |
Stage 7: Great Oxidation Event | <2.4 |
47a : [Near-surface hydration of prior minerals] | |
47c : [Carbonates, phosphates, borates, nitrates] |
Geological Setting:
Granitic pegmatites.
Type Occurrence of Wolfeite
Geological Setting of Type Material:
Granitic pegmatite.
Associated Minerals at Type Locality:
Other Language Names for Wolfeite
German:Wolfeit
Russian:ĐĐŸĐ»ŃŃДОŃ
Simplified Chinese:çŸçŁ·éçż
çŸçŁ·éé°çż
çŸçŁ·éé°çż
Spanish:Wolfeita
Relationship of Wolfeite to other Species
Member of:
Other Members of this group:
Triplite | Mn2+2(PO4)F | Mon. 2/m |
Triploidite | Mn2+2(PO4)(OH) | Mon. 2/m : P2/b |
Zwieselite | Fe2+2(PO4)F | Mon. 2/m : P21/b |
Forms a series with:
Common Associates
Associated Minerals Based on Photo Data:
11 photos of Wolfeite associated with Triphylite | LiFe2+PO4 |
3 photos of Wolfeite associated with Hagendorfite | NaCaMn2+Fe2+2(PO4)3 |
3 photos of Wolfeite associated with Siderite | FeCO3 |
3 photos of Wolfeite associated with Ludlamite | Fe2+3(PO4)2 · 4H2O |
2 photos of Wolfeite associated with Chalcopyrite | CuFeS2 |
1 photo of Wolfeite associated with Kryzhanovskite | (Fe3+,Mn2+)3(PO4)2(OH,H2O)3 |
1 photo of Wolfeite associated with Pyrite | FeS2 |
1 photo of Wolfeite associated with Augelite | Al2(PO4)(OH)3 |
1 photo of Wolfeite associated with Scorzalite | Fe2+Al2(PO4)2(OH)2 |
1 photo of Wolfeite associated with Rockbridgeite | Fe2+Fe3+4(PO4)3(OH)5 |
Related Minerals - Strunz-mindat Grouping
8.BB. | Tilasite | CaMg(AsO4)F |
8.BB.X | Arsenowagnerite | Mg2(AsO4)F |
8.BB. | Moabite | NiFe3+(PO4)O |
8.BB. | Karlditmarite | Cu9O4(PO4)2(SO4)2 |
8.BB. | Milkovoite | Cu4O(PO4)(AsO4) |
8.BB. | Paulgrothite | Cu9Fe3+O4(PO4)4Cl3 |
8.BB.05 | Amblygonite | LiAl(PO4)F |
8.BB.05 | Montebrasite | LiAl(PO4)(OH) |
8.BB.05 | Tavorite | LiFe3+(PO4)(OH) |
8.BB.10 | Triplite | Mn2+2(PO4)F |
8.BB.10 | Zwieselite | Fe2+2(PO4)F |
8.BB.15 | Sarkinite | Mn2+2(AsO4)(OH) |
8.BB.15 | Triploidite | Mn2+2(PO4)(OH) |
8.BB.15 | Wagnerite | (Mg,Fe2+)2(PO4)F |
8.BB.15 | StanÄkite | (Mn2+,Fe2+,Mg)Fe3+(PO4)O |
8.BB.15 | Joosteite | Mn2+(Mn3+,Fe3+)(PO4)O |
8.BB.15 | Hydroxylwagnerite | Mg2(PO4)(OH) |
8.BB.15 | Unnamed (Sb-analogue of Auriacusite) | Fe3+Cu2+[(Sb,As)O4]O |
8.BB.20 | Holtedahlite | Mg2(PO4)(OH) |
8.BB.20 | Satterlyite | (Fe2+,Mg,Fe)12(PO4)5(PO3OH)(OH,O)6 |
8.BB.25 | Althausite | Mg4(PO4)2(OH,O)(F,â») |
8.BB.30 | Adamite | Zn2(AsO4)(OH) |
8.BB.30 | Eveite | Mn2+2(AsO4)(OH) |
8.BB.30 | Libethenite | Cu2(PO4)(OH) |
8.BB.30 | Olivenite | Cu2(AsO4)(OH) |
8.BB.30 | Zincolibethenite | CuZn(PO4)(OH) |
8.BB.30 | Zincolivenite | CuZn(AsO4)(OH) |
8.BB.30 | Auriacusite | Fe3+Cu2+(AsO4)O |
8.BB.35 | Paradamite | Zn2(AsO4)(OH) |
8.BB.35 | Tarbuttite | Zn2(PO4)(OH) |
8.BB.40 | Barbosalite | Fe2+Fe3+2(PO4)2(OH)2 |
8.BB.40 | Hentschelite | CuFe3+2(PO4)2(OH)2 |
8.BB.40 | Lazulite | MgAl2(PO4)2(OH)2 |
8.BB.40 | Scorzalite | Fe2+Al2(PO4)2(OH)2 |
8.BB.40 | Wilhelmkleinite | ZnFe3+2(AsO4)2(OH)2 |
8.BB.45 | Trolleite | Al4(PO4)3(OH)3 |
8.BB.45 | Yaroshevskite | Cu9O2(VO4)4Cl2 |
8.BB.45 | Dokuchaevite | Cu8O2(VO4)3Cl3 |
8.BB.50 | Namibite | Cu(BiO)2(VO4)(OH) |
8.BB.50 | Aleutite | [Cu5O2](AsO4)(VO4) · (Cu,K,Pb,Rb,Cs,)Cl |
8.BB.52a | Ericlaxmanite | Cu4O(AsO4)2 |
8.BB.52b | Kozyrevskite | Cu4O(AsO4)2 |
8.BB.55 | Phosphoellenbergerite | (Mg,â»)2Mg12(PO4,PO3OH)6(PO3OH,CO3)2(OH)6 |
8.BB.55 | Popovite | Cu5O2(AsO4)2 |
8.BB.60 | Urusovite | CuAl(AsO4)O |
8.BB.65 | Theoparacelsite | Cu3(As2O7)(OH)2 |
8.BB.70 | Turanite | Cu5(VO4)2(OH)4 |
8.BB.75 | Stoiberite | Cu5(VO4)2O2 |
8.BB.80 | Fingerite | Cu11(VO4)6O2 |
8.BB.85 | Averievite | Cu6(VO4)2O2Cl2 |
8.BB.90 | Lipscombite | Fe2+Fe3+2(PO4)2(OH)2 |
8.BB.90 | Richellite | CaFe3+2(PO4)2(OH,F)2 |
8.BB.90 | Zinclipscombite | ZnFe3+2(PO4)2(OH)2 |
Fluorescence of Wolfeite
Not fluorescent in UV
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.
Internet Links for Wolfeite
mindat.org URL:
https://www.mindat.org/min-4304.html
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References for Wolfeite
Reference List:
Larsen, Esper S. (1921) The microscopic determination of the nonopaque minerals. Bulletin Vol. 679. US Geological Survey doi:10.3133/b679
Richmond, Wallace E. (1940) Crystal chemistry of the phosphates, arsenates and vanadates of the type A2XO4(Z). American Mineralogist, 25 (7). 441-479 p.469
Frondel, Clifford (1949) Wolfeite, xanthoxenite and whitlockite from the Palermo Mine, New Hampshire. American Mineralogist, 34 (9-10). 692-705
Plimer, I. R., Blucher, I. D. (1979) Wolfeite and barbosalite from Thackaringa, Australia. Mineralogical Magazine, 43 (328) 505-507 doi:10.1180/minmag.1979.043.328.10
Antenucci, D., Fontan, F., Fransolet, A.-M. (1989) X-Ray Powder Diffraction Data for Wolfeite: (Fe0.59Mn0.40Mg0.01)2PO4(OH) Powder Diffraction, 4 (1) 34-35 doi:10.1017/s0885715600016304
Localities for Wolfeite
Locality List
- This locality has map coordinates listed.
- This locality has estimated coordinates.
â - Click for references and 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 (e.g. from pseudomorphs).
All localities listed without proper references should be considered as questionable.
All localities listed without proper references should be considered as questionable.
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Quick NavTopAbout WolfeiteUnique IdentifiersClassification Mineral SymbolsPhysical Properties Optical Data Chemical Properties Crystallography Crystal StructureX-Ray Powder DiffractionGeological EnvironmentType Occurrence Other LanguagesRelationshipsCommon AssociatesStrunz-MindatFluorescence Other InformationInternet Links References Localities Locality List
Hagendorf South Pegmatite, Hagendorf, Waidhaus, Neustadt an der Waldnaab District, Upper Palatinate, Bavaria, Germany