Ludlamite is a rare
phosphate mineral
Phosphate minerals contain the tetrahedrally coordinated phosphate (PO43−) anion along sometimes with arsenate (AsO43−) and vanadate (VO43−) substitutions, and chloride (Cl−), fluoride (F−), and hydroxide (OH−) anions that also fit ...
with chemical formula . It was first described in 1877 for an occurrence in
Wheal Jane
Wheal Jane is a disused tin mine near Baldhu and Chacewater in West Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. The area itself consisted of a large number of mines.
History
Wheal Jane was probably seriously worked for tin from the mid-18th century. ...
mine in
Cornwall
Cornwall (; kw, Kernow ) is a historic county and ceremonial county in South West England. It is recognised as one of the Celtic nations, and is the homeland of the Cornish people. Cornwall is bordered to the north and west by the Atlantic ...
, England and named for English mineralogist
Henry Ludlam (1824–1880).
Occurrence
It occurs in
granite
Granite () is a coarse-grained ( phaneritic) intrusive igneous rock composed mostly of quartz, alkali feldspar, and plagioclase. It forms from magma with a high content of silica and alkali metal oxides that slowly cools and solidifies under ...
pegmatites and as a
hydrothermal alteration
Metasomatism (from the Greek μετά ''metá'' "change" and σῶμα ''sôma'' "body") is the chemical alteration of a rock by hydrothermal and other fluids. It is the replacement of one rock by another of different mineralogical and chemical co ...
product of earlier phosphate bearing minerals in a
reducing environment.
[ It occurs associated with ]whitlockite
Whitlockite is a mineral, an unusual form of Tricalcium phosphate, calcium phosphate. Its formula is Ca9(Mgiron, Fe)(PO4)6PO3Ohydrogen, H. It is a relatively rare mineral but is found in granitic pegmatites, phosphate rock deposits, guano caves a ...
, vivianite
Vivianite () is a hydrated iron phosphate mineral found in a number of geological environments. Small amounts of manganese Mn2+, magnesium Mg and calcium Ca may substitute for iron Fe2+ in the structure.Gaines et al (1997) Dana’s New Minera ...
, triploidite
Triploidite is an uncommon manganese iron phosphate mineral with formula: . It crystallizes in the monoclinic crystal system and typically occurs as elongated and striated slender prisms which may be columnar to fibrous. Its crystals may be pink ...
, triplite
Triplite is a rare phosphate mineral with formula: . It occurs in phosphate-rich granitic pegmatites typically as irregular brown opaque masses. Triplite was first described in 1813 for an occurrence in Chanteloube, Limousin, France.[triphylite
Triphylite is a lithium iron(II) phosphate mineral with the chemical formula LiFePO4.][IMA-CNMNC List of Miner ...]
, siderite
Siderite is a mineral composed of iron(II) carbonate (FeCO3). It takes its name from the Greek word σίδηρος ''sideros,'' "iron". It is a valuable iron mineral, since it is 48% iron and contains no sulfur or phosphorus. Zinc, magnesium and ...
, phosphoferrite, fairfieldite and apatite.[
]
References
External links
Phosphate minerals
Monoclinic minerals
Minerals in space group 14
{{phosphate-mineral-stub