Lazulite
| Lazulite | |
|---|---|
 Lazulite, Near Rapid Creek, Yukon, Canada |
|
| General | |
| Category | Phosphate minerals |
| Chemical formula | (Mg,Fe2+)Al2(OH,PO4)2 |
| Strunz classification | 08.BB.40 |
Lazulite ((Mg,Fe2+)Al2(OH,PO4)2)[1] is a blue, phosphate-based mineral containing magnesium, iron, and aluminium phosphate. Lazulite forms one endmember of a solid solution series with the darker iron rich scorzalite.
It forms by high grade metamorphism of high silica quartz rich rocks and in pegmatites. It is considered a semi-precious gemstone. It is often confused with lazurite, lapis lazuli or azurite.
Lazulite crystallizes in the monoclinic system. Crystal habits include steep bipyramidal or wedge-shaped crystals.[2] Lazulite has a Mohs hardness of 5.5 to 6 and a specific gravity of 3.0 to 3.1. It is infusible and insoluble.
It is found in Salzburg, Austria; Zermatt, Switzerland; Minas Gerais, Brazil; Lincoln County, Georgia; Inyo County, California; the Yukon in Canada, and elsewhere.
It was first described in 1795 for deposits in Austria. Its name comes from the Arabic for heaven.
[edit] References
- ^ http://www.mindat.org/min-2356.html Mindat
- ^ http://www.minerals.net/mineral/lazulite.aspx Lazulite on Minerals.net
- Hurlbut, Cornelius S.; Klein, Cornelius, 1985, Manual of Mineralogy, 20th ed., Wiley, ISBN 0-471-80580-7
- Webmineral data
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