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Wavellite
Current inventory:  0 gems
 

  
Wavellite was named in 1805 for William Wavell (1750 (1751?) - 1829), a physician in Harwood Parish, Devonshire, England, who discovered the mineral.

Discovered in 1805;   IMA status: Valid (pre-IMA; Grandfathered)

Chemistry

Chemical Formula:

Al₃(PO₄)₂(OH)₃F_0.5•5(H₂O)

Hydrated Aluminum Phosphate Hydroxide

Molecular Weight:

421.48 gm

Composition:

Aluminum

19.20 %

Al

36.29 %

Al₂O₃

Phosphorus

14.70 %

P

33.68 %

P₂O₅

Hydrogen

3.11 %

H

27.78 %

H₂O

Oxygen

60.74 %

O

Fluorine

2.25 %

F

2.25 %

F

F

— .95 %

— O=F₂

100.00 %

100.00 %

= TOTAL OXIDE

Classification

Mineral Classification:

Phosphates

Strunz 8th Ed. ID:

7/D.13-10

Nickel-Strunz 10th Ed. ID:

8.DC.50

8 : PHOSPHATES, ARSENATES, VANADATES
D : Phosphates, etc. with additional anions, with H₂O
C : With only medium-sized cations, (OH, etc.):RO₄ = 1:1 and < 2:1

Related to:

Wavellite Group.

Varieties:

Gelfischerite

Synonyms:

Bialite, Brazilianite (of Mawe), Coeruleolactite (mixture of Planerite + Variscite + Wavellite), Devonite, Fischerite, Hydrargillite (of Davy), Kapnicite, Kapnikite (of Kenngott), Lasionite, Lazionite, Uhligite (of Slavik), Wavelite (of Babington), Zepharovichite

Crystal Data

Crystallography:

Orthorhombic - Dipyramidal

Crystal Habit:

Euhedral crystals uncommon, short to long prismatic, elongated and striated || [001], with {010}, {110}, {101}, {111}, {121}, with many {hk0} forms, to several mm. Commonly in flat to spherical radial aggregates, to 3 cm; may be stalactitic, in crusts, rarely opaline massive.

Twinning:

None

Physical Properties

Cleavage:

{110} Perfect, {101} Good, {010} Distinct

Fracture:

Uneven to Subconchoidal

Tenacity:

Brittle

Moh's Hardness:

3.5 - 4.0

Density:

2.36 - 4.73 (g/cm³)

Luminescence:

Fluorescent, SW UV=yellow sky blue, LW UV=yellow strong sky blue

Radioactivity:

Not Radioactive

Other:

Readily soluble in acids.

Optical Properties

Color:

White, Greenish White, Green, Yellow, Yellowish Brown, Turquoise-Blue, Brown, Brownish Black, may be zoned; Colorless in transmitted light.

Transparency:

Translucent to Transparent

Luster:

Vitreous to Resinous, Pearly

Refractive Index:

1.518 - 1.561  Biaxial ( + )

Birefringence:

0.0250 - 0.0260

Dispersion:

Weak; r > v

Pleochroism:

Weak; X = greenish; Z = yellowish

Occurances

Geological Setting:

A secondary mineral in low-grade metamorphic rocks and phosphate deposits; rare in hydrothermal veins.

Common Associations:

Crandallite, Variscite

Common Impurities:

F, Fe

Type Locality:

High Down Quarry, Filleigh, North Devon, Devon, England, UK

Year Discovered:

1805

View mineral photos:

Wavellite Mineral Photos and Locations

More Information

Mindat.org
Webmineral.com

Wavellite is a relatively common mineral but extremely rare as a faceted gem. As a mineral specimen it demonstrates the classic radiating globule crystal habit. It could almost be said that Wavellite is the type mineral for this habit. When the globules are broken in half, a very attractive, almost perfectly round, radial cluster can be seen. Faceted gems can also show this radial pattern. The radiating needles reflect light to produce a beautiful sparkling effect. Wavellite is found in several colors including white, green, yellow, blue, brown and black although green is the most common color.

Wavellite is available from many localities. In the High Down quarry, Filleigh, near South Moulton, Devon, England. At Clonmel, County Tipperary, Ireland. In Germany, in the Rotläufchen mine, Waldgirmes, at the Dünsberg, near Giessen, from Oberscheld, near Dillenburg, and elsewhere in the Lahr-Dill area, Hesse; on the Wachtelberg, Langenstriegis, west of Freiberg, Saxony; from the Lichtenberg quarry, near Ronneburg, Thuringia; and elsewhere. At Cerhovice, near Beroun (Beraun), Czech Republic. Near Bihain, Belgium, large rosettes. At Montebras, Creuse, France. In the USA, from General Trimble’s mine, Chester County, Pennsylvania; in the Wood mine, Cocke County, Tennessee; abundant around Avant, as on Dug Hill, Garland County, and from the Mauldin Mountain quarry, near Mt. Ida, Montgomery County, Arkansas; in the Willard mine, Willard district, Pershing County, Nevada. In Bolivia, fine examples from Llallagua, Potosí, and Oruro. At the Moculta phosphate quarry, northeast of Angaston, and the Iron Monarch quarry, Iron Knob, South Australia.
 

  
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