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Hureaulite
Current inventory:  0 gems
 

Chemistry:  Mn²⁺₅(PO₄)₂(PO₃OH)₂·4(H₂O)
[Hydrated Manganese Phosphate Hydroxide]

Discovered in 1826;   IMA status: Valid (pre-IMA; Grandfathered).
Hureaulite is named after the type locality, the village of Huréaux, Haute Vienne, France.

Classification

Mineral Classification:

Phosphates

Strunz 8th Ed. ID:

8/C.04-10

Nickel-Strunz 10th Ed. ID:

8.CB.10

8 : PHOSPHATES, ARSENATES, VANADATES
C : Phosphates without additional anions, with H₂O
B : With only medium-sized cations, RO₄:H₂O = 1:1

Related to:

Hureaulite - Villyaellenite Series

Crystal Data

Crystallography:

Monoclinic - Prismatic

Crystal Habit:

Crystals long to short prismatic, elongated or tabular, to 3 cm, may be equant; in bundled fascicles, less commonly fibrous, scaly, compact, massive.

Twinning:

None

Physical Properties

Cleavage:

[100] Distinct/Good

Fracture:

Irregular/Uneven

Tenacity:

Brittle

Hardness (Mohs):

3.5

Density:

3.15 - 3.19 (g/cm³)

Luminescence:

None

Radioactivity:

Not Radioactive

Other:

Readily soluble in acids

Optical Properties

Color:

Light Pink, Rose-Violet, pale Rose, Amber, Orange, Red-Orange, Red, Brownish Orange, Reddish to Yellowish Brown, nearly Colorless

Transparency:

Transparent to Translucent

Luster:

Vitreous, inclined near Greasy

Refractive Index:

1.647 - 1.663  Biaxial ( - )

Birefringence:

0.0130

Dispersion:

Very Strong; r < v

Pleochroism:

Visible; X = colorless; Y = yellow to pale rose; Z = reddish yellow to reddish brown

Occurances

Geological Setting:

A late-stage secondary mineral formed by alteration of primary phosphates in complex granite pegmatites.

Common Associations:

Cacoxenite, Dickinsonite, Eosphorite, Fairfieldite, Heterosite, Lithiophilite, Phosphosiderite, Rockbridgeite, Strengite, Stewartite, Triphylite, Vivianite, many rare phosphates.

Type Locality:

Les Hureaux, Saint-Sylvestre, Haute-Vienne, Limousin, France

Year Discovered:

1826

View mineral photos:

Hureaulite Mineral Photos and Locations

More Information

Mindat.org
Webmineral.com

Hureaulite is a relatively rare phosphate mineral that is a popular mineral specimen for collectors but very rare as a faceted gem. It is an attractive mineral with bright pink to reddish orange colors but gems are usually translucent at best and moderately included.

The best current source of gemmy Hureaulite crystals is the Cigana Mine (Jocão Mine), Galiléia, Doce Valley, Minas Gerais, Southeast Region, Brazil
 

  
Hureaulite gems for sale:

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