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Childrenite
Current inventory:  0 gems
 

Childrenite

  
Childrenite was named in honor of John George Children (1777 - 1852), an English chemist and mineralogist.

Discovered in 1823;   IMA status: Valid (pre-IMA; Grandfathered)

 

Chemistry

 

 

Chemical Formula:

Fe2+Al(PO4)(OH)2  H2O

 

Hydrated Iron Aluminum Phosphate Hydroxide

Molecular Weight:

229.83 gm

Composition:

Aluminum

11.74 %

Al

22.18 %

Al2O3

 

Iron

24.30 %

Fe

31.26 %

FeO

 

Phosphorus

13.48 %

P

30.88 %

P2O5

 

Hydrogen

1.75 %

H

15.68 %

H2O

 

Oxygen

48.73 %

O

 

 

 

 

100.00 %

 

100.00 %

= TOTAL OXIDE

 

 

Classification

   

   

Mineral Classification:

Phosphates

Strunz 8th Ed. ID:

7/D.14-10

Nickel-Strunz 10th Ed. ID:

8.DD.20

 

8 : PHOSPHATES, ARSENATES, VANADATES
D : Phosphates, etc. with additional anions, with H
2O
D : With only medium-sized cations, (OH, etc.):RO
4= 2:1

Related to:

Childrenite-Eosphorite Series. The Fe2+ analogue of Eosphorite.

Varieties:

None

Synonyms:

None

 

 

Crystal Data

   

   

Crystallography:

Orthorhombic - Pyramidal

Crystal Habit:

As equant to pyramidal crystals, may be short prismatic along {001}, thick tabular on {010}, or platy on {100}, commonly doubly terminated, to 2 cm; in radiating groups and fibrous crusts; massive.

Twinning:

May show twinning on {100} and {001}, observed optically, to give pseudo-orthorhombic symmetry; may be due to oxidation.

 

 

Physical Properties

   

 

Cleavage:

Imperfect, Poor on {100}

Fracture:

Conchoidal to Uneven

Tenacity:

Brittle

Moh's Hardness:

4.5 - 5.0

Density:

3.18 - 3.25 (g/cm3)

Luminescence:

None

Radioactivity:

Not Radioactive

 

 

Optical Properties

   

   

Color:

White, Yellowish brown, Brownish black

Transparency:

Transparent to Translucent

Luster:

Vitreous to Resinous

Refractive Index:

1.649 - 1.691  Biaxial ( - )

Birefringence:

0.0270 - 0.0420

Dispersion:

Strong; r > v

Pleochroism:

X = yellow; Y = pink; Z = pale pink to colorless.

 

 

Occurances

   

   

Geological Setting:

In some complex granite pegmatites, typically a low-temperature hydrothermal alteration product of primary phosphate minerals.

Common Associations:

Siderite, Pyrite, Apatite, Quartz (Tavistock, England); Zinnwaldite, Tourmaline, Akaolinite (Greifensteine, Germany)

Common Impurities:

Ca, Mn

Type Locality:

Tavistock District, Devon, England, UK

Year Discovered:

1832

View mineral photos:

Childrenite Mineral Photos and Locations

 

 

More Information

   

   

 

Mindat.org
Webmineral.com

 

 


Childrenite forms a series with
Eosphorite, Childrenite being at the Fe end of the series and Eosphorite being at the Mn end.  Both are very rare gems, although Childrenite is much rarer than Eosphorite.  Childrenite is found as brown, yellowish brown and golden yellow crystals.  Facetable crystals from Minas Gerais, Brazil are usually brown. Crystals from other locations such as Cornwall, England; Greifenstein, Germany and Custer, South Dakota, USA are not facet grade.

(gem photograph above courtesy of Jay Medici)
 

  
Childrenite gems for sale:

Childrenite-001

Gem:

Childrenite

Stock #:

CHILD-001

Weight:

0.1085 ct

Size:

3.01 x 2.09 mm

Shape:

Round

Color:

Light Orangish Brown

Clarity:

Eye Clean

Origin:

Minas Gerais, Brazil

Treatment:

None (natural)

Price:

SOLD (but we have others)

Pictures are of the actual gem offered for sale.
Gem images are magnified to show detail.

Childrenite-001

An extremely rare gem from Minas Gerais, Southeastern region, Brazil with a very bright orangish brown color.


 


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