Metavariscite Mineral Data

General Metavariscite Information

Chemical Formula:

AlPO4•2(H2O)

Composition:

Molecular Weight = 157.98 gm

Aluminum 17.08 % Al 32.27 % Al₂O₃

Phosphorus 19.61 % P 44.92 % P₂O₅

Hydrogen 2.55 % H 22.81 % H₂O

Oxygen 60.76 % O

______ ______

100.00 % 100.00 % = TOTAL OXIDE

Empirical Formula:

Al(PO₄)•2(H₂O)

IMA Status:

Valid Species (Pre-IMA) 1925

Locality:

Edison-Bird mine, Utahlite Hill, Lucin, Box Elder Co., Utah, USA. Link to MinDat.org Location Data.

Name Origin:

Named for its dimorphic relationship to variscite.

Name Pronunciation:

Metavariscite + Pronunciation

Synonym:

ICSD 2643

PDF 33-32

Metavariscite Image

Images:

Metavariscite

Comments: Clear tabular crystals of metavariscite.
Location: Utahlite claim, Lucin, Box Elder County, Utah, USA. Scale: Not Given.
© Lou Perloff / Photo Atlas of Minerals

Metavariscite Crystallography

Axial Ratios:

a:b:c =0.5448:1:0.8885

Cell Dimensions:

a = 5.182, b = 9.5115, c = 8.4516, Z = 4; beta = 90.4° V = 416.56 Den(Calc)= 2.52

Crystal System:

Monoclinic - Prismatic H-M Symbol (2/m) Space Group: P 2₁/n

$Help on X Ray Diffraction:$ X Ray Diffraction:

By Intensity(I/I_o): 4.758(1), 2.705(0.95), 4.227(0.65),

Forms:

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Forms: ( 0 1 0) ( 1 1 0) ( 1 3 0) ( 0 1 1)

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Physical Properties of Metavariscite

Cleavage:

{010} Good

Color:

Light green.

Density:

2.54

Diaphaneity:

Transparent to Translucent

Fracture:

Brittle - Generally displayed by glasses and most non-metallic minerals.

Hardness:

3.5 - Copper Penny

Luster:

Vitreous (Glassy)

Streak:

white

Optical Properties of Metavariscite

Gladstone-Dale:

CI meas= 0.02 (Excellent) - where the CI = (1-KPDmeas/KC)
CI calc= 0.013 (Superior) - where the CI = (1-KPDcalc/KC)
KPDcalc= 0.2237,KPDmeas= 0.2219,KC= 0.2266
Ncalc = 1.57 - 1.58

Optical Data:

Biaxial (+), a=1.551, b=1.558, g=1.582, bire=0.0310, 2V(Calc)=58, 2V(Meas)=55.

Calculated Properties of Metavariscite

Electron Density:

Bulk Density (Electron Density)=2.55 gm/cc
note: Specific Gravity of Metavariscite =2.52 gm/cc.

Fermion Index:

Fermion Index = 0.0002954932
Boson Index = 0.9997045068

Photoelectric:

PE_{Metavariscite}= 1.49 barns/electron
U=PE_{Metavariscite} x rElectron Density= 3.79 barns/cc.

Radioactivity:

GRapi = 0 (Gamma Ray American Petroleum Institute Units)
Metavariscite is Not Radioactive

Metavariscite Classification

Dana Class:

40.04.03.01 (40)Hydrated Phosphates, etc

(40.04)where A+++ XO4 ï¿½ x(H2O)

(40.04.03)Metavariscite group

40.04.03.01 Metavariscite AlPO4•2(H2O) P 2₁/n 2/m

40.04.03.02 Phosphosiderite FePO4•2(H2O) P 2₁/n 2/m

40.04.03.03 Kolbeckite ScPO4•2(H2O) P 2₁/n 2/m

Strunz Class:

08.CD.05 08 - PHOSPHATES, ARSENATES, VANADATES

08.C - Phosphates without Additional Anions, with H2O

08.CD -With only medium-sized cations, RO4:H2O = 1:2

08.CD.05 Kolbeckite ScPO4•2(H2O) P 2₁/n 2/m

08.CD.05 Metavariscite AlPO4•2(H2O) P 2₁/n 2/m

08.CD.05 Phosphosiderite FePO4•2(H2O) P 2₁/n 2/m

Other Metavariscite Information

References:

NAME( Dana8) PHYS. PROP.(Enc. of Minerals,2nd ed.,1990) OPTIC PROP.(Enc. of Minerals,2nd ed.,1990)

See Also:

Links to other databases for Metavariscite :
1 - Am. Min. Crystal Structure Database
2 - Athena
3 - EUROmin Project
4 - Ecole des Mines de Paris
5 - GeoScienceWorld
6 - Google Images
7 - Google Scholar
8 - Handbook of Mineralogy (MinSocAm)
9 - Handbook of Mineralogy (UofA)
10 - MinDAT
11 - Mineralienatlas (Deutsch)
12 - Online Mineral Museum
13 - QUT Mineral Atlas
14 - Ruff.Info

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Metavariscite

AlPO4•2(H2O)
Dana No: 40.04.03.01 Strunz No: 08.CD.05
Locality:

Notes:

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