Phosphate minerals contain the tetrahedrally coordinated phosphate (PO43−)
anion
An ion () is an atom or molecule with a net electrical charge.
The charge of an electron is considered to be negative by convention and this charge is equal and opposite to the charge of a proton, which is considered to be positive by conve ...
along sometimes with arsenate (AsO43−) and vanadate (VO43−) substitutions, and
chloride
The chloride ion is the anion (negatively charged ion) Cl−. It is formed when the element chlorine (a halogen) gains an electron or when a compound such as hydrogen chloride is dissolved in water or other polar solvents. Chloride s ...
hydroxide
Hydroxide is a diatomic anion with chemical formula OH−. It consists of an oxygen and hydrogen atom held together by a single covalent bond, and carries a negative electric charge. It is an important but usually minor constituent of water. ...
(OH−) anions that also fit into the
crystal structure
In crystallography, crystal structure is a description of the ordered arrangement of atoms, ions or molecules in a crystalline material. Ordered structures occur from the intrinsic nature of the constituent particles to form symmetric pattern ...
.
The phosphate class of minerals is a large and diverse group, however, only a few species are relatively common.
Applications
Phosphate rock has high concentration of phosphate minerals, most commonly of the apatite group. It is the major resource mined to produce phosphate fertilizers for the agriculture sector. Phosphate is also used in animal feed supplements, food preservatives, anti-corrosion agents,
cosmetics
Cosmetics are constituted mixtures of chemical compounds derived from either natural sources, or synthetically created ones. Cosmetics have various purposes. Those designed for personal care and skin care can be used to cleanse or protec ...
Amblygonite
Amblygonite () is a fluorophosphate mineral, , composed of lithium, sodium, aluminium, phosphate, fluoride and hydroxide. The mineral occurs in pegmatite deposits and is easily mistaken for albite and other feldspars. Its density, cleavage an ...
Struvite
Struvite (magnesium ammonium phosphate) is a phosphate mineral with formula: NH4MgPO4·6H2O. Struvite crystallizes in the orthorhombic system as white to yellowish or brownish-white pyramidal crystals or in platy mica-like forms. It is a soft min ...
(NH4)MgPO4·6H2O
*
Xenotime
Xenotime is a rare-earth phosphate mineral, the major component of which is yttrium orthophosphate ( Y P O4). It forms a solid solution series with chernovite-(Y) ( Y As O4) and therefore may contain trace impurities of arsenic, as well as sili ...
robertsite
Robertsite, Ca3(Mn3+)4 (PO4)2sub>2·3(H2O) (alternatively formulated Ca2(Mn3(PO4)3O2)(H2O)3), is a secondary phosphate mineral named for Willard Lincoln Roberts (1923–1987), mineralogist and professor at South Dakota School of Mines in Rapid ...
mindat.org
Mindat.org is a non-commercial online database, claiming to be the largest mineral database and mineralogical reference website on the Internet. It is used by professional mineralogists, geologists, and amateur mineral collectors alike.
The ...
, 10 ed, pending publication).
*Abbreviations:
**"*" – discredited (IMA/CNMNC status).
**"?" – questionable/doubtful (IMA/CNMNC status).
**"REE" – Rare-earth element (Sc, Y, La, Ce, Pr, Nd, Pm, Sm, Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb, Lu)
**"PGE" – Platinum-group element (Ru, Rh, Pd, Os, Ir, Pt)
**03.C Aluminofluorides, 06 Borates, 08 Vanadates (04.H V,6/sup> Vanadates), 09 Silicates:
***Neso: insular (from Greek νησος nēsos, island)
***Soro: grouping (from Greek σωροῦ sōros, heap, mound (especially of corn))
***Cyclo: ring
***Ino: chain (from Greek ις enitive: ινος ''inos'' fibre)
***Phyllo: sheet (from Greek φύλλον ''phyllon'', leaf)
***Tekto: three-dimensional framework
*Nickel–Strunz code scheme: NN.XY.##x
**NN: Nickel–Strunz mineral class number
**X: Nickel–Strunz mineral division letter
**Y: Nickel–Strunz mineral family letter
**##x: Nickel–Strunz mineral/group number, x add-on letter
Lithiophilite
Lithiophilite is a mineral containing the element lithium. It is lithium manganese(II) phosphate with chemical formula . It occurs in pegmatites often associated with triphylite, the iron end member in a solid solution series. The mineral with in ...
Bobdownsite
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 ...
, 45 Merrillite-(Ca)*, 45
Merrillite
Merrillite is a calcium phosphate mineral with the chemical formula Ca9NaMg(PO4)7. It is an anhydrous, sodium-rich member of the merrillite ''group'' of minerals.
Mineral species, sub-group and group
Merrillite is a distinct '' mineral species'' ...
Tuite Tuite is a surname. Notable people with the surname include:
* Aidan Tuite, Irish Gaelic footballer
* Gabrielle Tuite (born 1977), American model and actress
* Gerry Tuite (1910–1990), Australian rules footballer
* Hugh Morgan Tuite (1795–1868) ...
Archerite
Archerite ( IMA symbol: Aht) is a phosphate mineral with chemical formula (K,NH4)H2PO4. It's named after Michael Archer (born 25 March 1945), professor of Biology, University of New South Wales. Its type locality is Petrogale Cave, Madura Roadho ...
Xenotime
Xenotime is a rare-earth phosphate mineral, the major component of which is yttrium orthophosphate ( Y P O4). It forms a solid solution series with chernovite-(Y) ( Y As O4) and therefore may contain trace impurities of arsenic, as well as sili ...
Brabantite
Cheralite is an anhydrous phosphate mineral with the ideal chemical formula CaTh(PO4)2. It is Isomorphism (crystallography), isomorphous with huttonite and monazite. It can be regarded as the product of the complete cationic substitution in the sys ...
?
* 08.B Phosphates, etc. with Additional Anions, without H2O
** 08.BA With small and medium-sized cations: 05 Vayrynenite; 10 Hydroxylherderite, 10 Herderite; 15 Babefphite
** 08.BB With only medium-sized cations, (OH, etc.):RO4 £1:1: 05
Amblygonite
Amblygonite () is a fluorophosphate mineral, , composed of lithium, sodium, aluminium, phosphate, fluoride and hydroxide. The mineral occurs in pegmatite deposits and is easily mistaken for albite and other feldspars. Its density, cleavage an ...
Montebrasite
Amblygonite () is a fluorophosphate mineral, , composed of lithium, sodium, aluminium, phosphate, fluoride and hydroxide. The mineral occurs in pegmatite deposits and is easily mistaken for albite and other feldspars. Its density, cleavage an ...
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.Magniotriplite?, 10 Hydroxylwagnerite; 15 Joosteite, 15 Stanekite, 15 Triploidite, 15 Wolfeite, 15 Wagnerite; 20
Satterlyite
Satterlyite is a hydroxyl bearing iron phosphate mineral. The mineral can be found in phosphatic shales and was first discovered in the Big Fish River area in Yukon Territory, Canada.
Satterlyite is part of the phosphate mineral group. Satterlyit ...
Libethenite
Libethenite is a rare copper phosphate hydroxide mineral. It forms striking, dark green orthorhombic crystals. It was discovered in 1823 in Ľubietová, Slovakia and is named after the German name of that locality (''Libethen''). Libethenite has a ...
Tarbuttite
Tarbuttite is a rare phosphate mineral with formula Zn2(PO4)(OH). It was discovered in 1907 in what is now Zambia and named for Percy Tarbutt.
Description and habit
Tarbuttite is white, yellow, red, green, brown, or colorless; in transmitted li ...
Rockbridgeite
Rockbridgeite is an anhydrous phosphate mineral in the "Rockbridgeite" supergroup with the chemical formula Fe2+Fe3+4(PO4)3(OH)5.
It was discovered at the since-shut-down Midvale Mine in Rockbridge County, Virginia, United States. The researc ...
** 08.BD With only medium-sized cations, (OH, etc.):RO4 = 2:1: 05
Pseudomalachite
Pseudomalachite is a phosphate of copper with hydroxyl, named from the Greek for “false” and “malachite”, because of its similarity in appearance to the carbonate mineral malachite, Cu2(CO3)(OH)2. Both are green coloured secondary minerals ...
Augelite
Augelite is an aluminium phosphate mineral with formula: Al2( P O4)(O H)3. The shade varies from colorless to white, yellow or rose. Its crystal system is monoclinic.Richard V. Gaines, H. Catherine W. Skinner, Eugene E. Foord, Brian Mason, and Ab ...
Cornetite
Cornetite is a phosphate of copper with hydroxyl, named after the geologist . It was discovered in 1917.
Type Locality
Cornetite is most notably found in the Star of Congo mine, near Lubumbashi
Lubumbashi (former names: ( French), ...
Lulzacite
Lulzacite is a strontium-containing phosphate mineral with the chemical formula Sr2Fe2+(Fe2+,Mg)2Al4(PO4)4(OH)10.
The mineral was first described in 2000 from quartzite deposits () at Saint-Aubin-des-Châteaux, Loire-Atlantique, France, and is n ...
** 08.BL With medium-sized and large cations, (OH, etc.):RO4 = 3:1: 05 Corkite, 05 Hinsdalite, 05 Orpheite, 05
Woodhouseite
Woodhouseite belongs to the beudantite group AB3(XO4)(SO4)(OH)6 where A = Ba, Ca, Pb or Sr, B = Al or Fe and X = S, As or P. Minerals in this group are isostructural with each other and also with minerals in the crandallite and alunite groups. The ...
Plumbogummite
Plumbogummite is a rare secondary lead phosphate mineral, belonging to the alunite supergroup of minerals, crandallite subgroup. Some other members of this subgroup are:
* Crandallite, CaAl3(PO4)2(OH)5·H2O, where calcium replaces lead
* Goyazi ...
Alforsite
Alforsite is a barium phosphate chloride mineral with formula: Ba5(PO4)3Cl. It was discovered in 1981, and named to honor geologist John T. Alfors (1930–2005) of the California Geological Survey for his work in the area where it was discovere ...
Parahopeite
Zinc phosphate is an inorganic compound with the formula Zn3( PO4)2. This white powder is widely used as a corrosion resistant coating on metal surfaces either as part of an electroplating process or applied as a primer pigment (see also red lead ...
** 08.CB With only medium-sized cations, RO4:H2O = 1:1: 05
Serrabrancaite
Serrabrancaite is a mineral with the chemical formula MnPO4•H2O and which is named for the locality where it was found, the Alto Serra Branca Pegmatite. The Alto Serra Branca mine has been in operation since the 1940s. It is located in Paraiba, ...
, 10
Hureaulite
Hureaulite is a manganese phosphate with the formula . It was discovered in 1825 and named in 1826 for the type locality, Les Hureaux, Saint-Sylvestre, Haute-Vienne, Limousin, France. It is sometimes written as huréaulite, but the IMA does not ...
Kolbeckite
Kolbeckite (scandium phosphate dihydrate) is a mineral with formula: ScPO4·2H2O. It was discovered originally at Schmiedeberg, Saxony, Germany in 1926 and is named after Friedrich L. W. Kolbeck, a German mineralogist. Kolbeckite is usually fo ...
Malhmoodite
Malhmoodite is a phosphate mineral first discovered at a mine called Union Carbide in Wilson Springs, Arkansas, United States. This mine is 10 km west of Magnet Cove, an alkaline igneous complex, and Union Carbide is in a contact region of alkalic ...
Collinsite
Collinsite is a mineral with chemical formula . It was discovered in British Columbia, Canada, and formally described in 1927. It was named in honor of William Henry Collins (1878–1937), director of the Geological Survey of Canada. There are th ...
Messelite
Messelite is a mineral with formula Ca2(Fe2+,Mn2+)(PO4)2·2H2O. It was discovered in Germany and described in 1890. The mineral was subsequently discredited in 1940, reinstated and named ''neomesselite'' in 1955, and the name restored to ''messelit ...
Taranakite
Taranakite is a hydrated alkali iron-aluminium phosphate mineral with chemical formula .
It forms from the reaction of clay minerals or aluminous rocks with solutions enriched in phosphate derived from bat or bird guano or, less commonly, f ...
Struvite
Struvite (magnesium ammonium phosphate) is a phosphate mineral with formula: NH4MgPO4·6H2O. Struvite crystallizes in the orthorhombic system as white to yellowish or brownish-white pyramidal crystals or in platy mica-like forms. It is a soft min ...
Zanazziite
Zanazziite is a complex hydrated phosphate mineral from the roscherite group. It is a magnesium beryllium phosphate mineral.Atencio, D., Chukanov, N.V., Coutinho, J.M.V., Menezes Filho, L.A D., Dubinchuk, V.T. and Möckel, S.(2007) Ruifrancoite ...
Greifensteinite
Greifensteinite is beryllium phosphate mineral with formula: Ca2Fe2+5Be4(PO4)6(OH)4·6H2O. It is the Fe2+ dominant member of the roscherite group. It crystallizes in the monoclinic crystal system and typically forms prismatic dark olive green cry ...
Sinkankasite
Sinkankasite, mineral formula: , was named after John Sinkankas (1915–2002), noted author and mineral collector, Scripps Institute of Oceanography. It is triclinic; as colorless, bladed to prismatic crystals up to 4 mm in length, often as ...
Strunzite
Strunzite (Mn2+Fe3+2(PO4)2(OH)26H2O) is a light yellow mineral of the strunzite group, first discovered in 1957.
It crystallizes in the triclinic system and has a light, Lustre (mineralogy)#Vitreous lustre, vitreous luster, a specific gravity of ...
; 27
Beraunite
Beraunite is an iron phosphate mineral. It was first described by August Breithaupt for an occurrence in Beraun currently in the Czech Republic. Beraunite occurs as a secondary mineral in iron ore deposits, and as an alteration product of primar ...
Vauxite
Vauxite is a phosphate mineral with the chemical formula Fe2+ Al2( P O4)2(O H)2·6(H2O). It belongs to the laueite – paravauxite group, paravauxite subgroup,American Mineralogist (1968) 53:1025 although Mindat puts it as a member of the van ...
Aheylite
Aheylite is a rare phosphate mineral with formula ( Fe2+ Zn) Al6 H)4.html" ;"title="oxygen">O Ohydrogen">H)4">(phosphorus.html" ;"title="hydrogen.html" ;"title="oxygen.html" ;"title=" Ohydrogen">H)4">(phosphorus">PO4)2sub>2·4(H2O)._It_occurs_as_pa ...
Eosphorite
Eosphorite is a brown (occasionally pink) manganese hydrous phosphate mineral with chemical formula: Mn Al( P O4)(O H)2· H2O. It is used as a gemstone.
Eosphorite crystallizes in the monoclinic crystal system. It forms slender prismatic crys ...
Montgomeryite
Montgomeryite is a phosphate mineral with the chemical formula Ca4MgAl4(PO4)6(OH)4·12H2O. The mineral was discovered in Fairfield, Utah in a variscite
Variscite is a hydrated aluminium phosphate mineral (). It is a relatively rare phosphate mi ...
Robertsite
Robertsite, Ca3(Mn3+)4 (PO4)2sub>2·3(H2O) (alternatively formulated Ca2(Mn3(PO4)3O2)(H2O)3), is a secondary phosphate mineral named for Willard Lincoln Roberts (1923–1987), mineralogist and professor at South Dakota School of Mines in Rapid ...
Skorpionite
Skorpionite (IMA2005-010) is a zinc phosphate mineral
Phosphate minerals contain the tetrahedrally coordinated phosphate (PO43−) anion along sometimes with arsenate (AsO43−) and vanadate (VO43−) substitutions, and chloride (Cl−), fluo ...
Uranocircite
Uranocircite or Uranocircite-II is a uranium mineral with the chemical formula: Ba(UO2)2(PO4)2·10H2O. Uranocircite-I was discredited (the IMA-CMNMC published 'The New IMA List of Minerals', September 2012). It is a phosphate mineral which contain ...
Metatorbernite
Metatorbernite (or meta-torbernite) is a radioactive phosphate mineral, and is a dehydration pseudomorph of torbernite. Chemically, it is a copper uranyl phosphate and usually occurs in the form of green platy deposits. It can form by direct depo ...
Upalite
Upalite ( Al( U O2)3( PO4)2O(O H)·7H2O) is a mineral found in the Democratic Republic of Congo. It is named after uranium, phosphorus and aluminium. Its type locality is Kobokobo pegmatite, Mwenga, Sud-Kivu
South Kivu (''Jimbo la Kivu Ku ...
Sodium meta-autunite
Sodium is a chemical element with the symbol Na (from Latin ''natrium'') and atomic number 11. It is a soft, silvery-white, highly reactive metal. Sodium is an alkali metal, being in group 1 of the periodic table. Its only stable is ...