Belens Group

PHOSPHATE MINERALS
DISTINGUISHIN
G FEATURES

PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
MINERAL
NAME

CHEMICAL
COMPOSITION

CRYSTAL
SYSTEM

Triphylite

Li ( Fe , Mn ) P O4 Orthorhombi
c

Lithiophilit
e

Orthorhombi
c
Li ( Mn , Fe ) P O4

Pyromorphi
te

PO 4 3 Cl
Pb5

Hexagonal

COLOR
Bluish
gray to
greenish
gray,
brownish
to black
where
altered
Clovebrown,
yellowish
brown,
honeyyellow,
salmonpink, bluegray, gray
Dark
grassgreen,
green,
yellow,
yelloworange,
reddish
orange,
yellowbrown,
brown,
tan,
grayish,
may be
colorless

SPECIFI
C
GRAVIT
Y

LUSTER

FRACTURE

4.0 5.0

3.50
3.58

Viterous
to subresinous

Uneven to
subconchoidal

4.0 5.0

3.445
3.50

Vitreous
to subresinous

Uneven to
subconchoidal

7.04

Resinous
to subadamantine

Uneven to
subconchoidal

HARDNES
S

3.5 4.0

TENACIT
Y

STREA
K

N/A

White to
grayish
white

Characterized by
two cleavages at
right angles,
resinous luster
and association

White to
grayish
white

Characterized by
two cleavages at
right angles,
resinous luster
and association

White

Characterized by
its crystal form,
high luster, high
specific gravity

N/A

Brittle

USES

Subordinate ore of
lead

Apatite

Vanadinite

Amblygonit
e

Turquoise

Erythrite

Ca 5 ( PO 4 )3
( F , Cl , OH )

Pb5 ( VO 4 )3 Cl

Hexagonal

Shade of
green or
brown,
blue,
violet,
colorless

Hexagonal

Redorange,
deep red,
brownish
red,
brownish
yellow,
yellow,
pale
strawyellow,

LiAl ( PO 4 ) (F , OH T)riclinic
PO 4

Cu Al 6
OH

Triclinic

Co 3 ( As O4 ) 2 8 H 2Monoclinic
O

White to
pale green
or blue,
rarely
yellow

Sky-blue,
bluish
green,
apple
green,
greenish
gray

Crimson
to peachred, pale
rose, pink

5.0

2.5 3.0

6.0

5.0 6.0

1.5 2.5

3.15
3.20

Vitreous
to subresinous

6.88

Subresinous
to subadamantine

3.0 3.1

Vitreous
to
greasy,
pearly on
good
cleavage

2.91

Vitreous
in
crystals,
dull to
waxy if
massive

3.135

Subadamantine,
pearly on
cleavage
s

Conchoidal
to uneven

Uneven to
conchoidal

Uneven to
subconchoidal

Small
conchoidal
to smooth

N/A

N/A

Brittle

Brittle

N/A

Sectile

White

It is usually
recognized by its
crystal color and
hardness.
Distinguished
from beryl by
the prominent
pyramidal
terminations of
its crystals and
by its being
softer than a
knife blade

Crystallized apatite
can be used
extensively as a
source of phosphate
for fertilizer.
Transparent varieties
of apatite of fine
color can be used for
gems.

White to
pale red
or pale
yellow

Characterized by
crystal form,
high luster and
high specific
gravity,
distinguished
from
pyromorphite
and mimetite
color

Source of vanadium
and minor ore of
lead, used as steelhardening material

N/A

Cleavage
fragments may
be confused with
feldspar but are
distinguished by
cleavage angles

Source of lithium

White to
pale
greenis
h blue

Can be
recognized by its
color, harder
than chrysocolla,
the only mineral
which it
resembles

Use as a gemstone.
Much cut turquoise is
veined with the
various gangue
materials and such
stones are sold under
name of turquoise
matrix

Pale red
to pink

The association
of erythrite with
other cobalt
minerals and its
pink color are
usually sufficient
to distinguish it
from other
minerals

Autunite

Lemon

Ca ( UO 2 )2 ( P O4 )2 Tetragonal
1012 H 2 Oyellow to

2.0 2.5

3.1 3.2

Vitreous

Uneven

N/A

Yellow

Unknown,
soft

4.7 5.0

Dull or
earthy

Uneven

N/A

Yellow

pale green

Carnotite

K 2 ( U O 2 )2 ( V 2 O 8 )
Monoclinic
13 H 2 O

Bright
yellow to
greenish
yellow

Characterized by
yellow-green
tetragonal plates
and string
fluorescence in
ultraviolet light,
radioactive
Characterized by
its yellow color,
pulvurent
nature,
radioactivity and
occurrence.
Unlike many
secondary
uranium
minerals,
carnotite will not
fluoresce in
ultraviolet light

Ore of uranium

Ore of vanadium and

in USA, principal ore
of vanadium