Triplite
Current inventory:  2 gems
 

  
Triplite is named from the Greek word triplos meaning triple or threefold alluding to its three prominent cleavages.

Discovered in 1813;   IMA status: Valid (pre-IMA; Grandfathered)

Chemistry

Chemical Formula:

(Mn²⁺,Fe²⁺,Mg,Ca)₂(PO₄)(F,OH)

Manganese Iron Magnesium Calcium Phosphate Flouride Hydroxide

Molecular Weight:

211.64 gm

Composition:

Calcium

3.79 %

Ca

5.30 %

CaO

Magnesium

3.45 %

Mg

5.71 %

MgO

Manganese

25.96 %

Mn

33.52 %

MnO

Iron

13.19 %

Fe

16.97 %

FeO

Phosphorus

14.64 %

P

33.53 %

P₂O₅

Hydrogen

0.12 %

H

1.06 %

H₂O

Oxygen

32.13 %

O

Fluorine

6.73 %

F

6.73 %

F

–

- %

F

-2.83 %

-O=F₂

100.00 %

100.00 %

= TOTAL OXIDE

Classification

Mineral Classification:

Phosphates

Strunz 8th Ed. ID:

7/B.03-40

Nickel-Strunz 10th Ed. ID:

8.BB.10

8 : PHOSPHATES, ARSENATES, VANADATES
B : Phosphates, etc., with additional anions, without H₂O
B : With only medium-sized cations, (OH, etc.):RO₄ about 1:1

Related to:

Triplite Group. Triplite-Zwieselite Series. The manganese analogue of Zwieselite.

Members of Group:

Triplite Group: Triplite, Zwieselite

Varieties:

Metatriplite, Talktriplite

Synonyms:

Phosphate of Iron and Manganese, Retinbaryte

Crystal Data

Crystallography:

Monoclinic - Prismatic

Crystal Habit:

Crystals are typically very rough, but may have many indistinct forms, to 4 m; usually nodular, massive.

Twinning:

None

Physical Properties

Cleavage:

Good on {001}, Fair on {010}, Poor on {100}

Fracture:

Irregular/Uneven to Sub-Conchoidal

Tenacity:

Brittle

Moh's Hardness:

5.0 - 5.5

Density:

3.50 - 3.90 (g/cm³)

Luminescence:

None

Radioactivity:

Not Radioactive

Other:

Soluble in acids.

Optical Properties

Color:

Chestnut-Brown, Reddish Brown, flesh-Red, Salmon-Pink; Brownish Black to Black if altered; in transmitted light, pale Brownish Yellow to dark Reddish Brown.

Transparency:

Transparent to Opaque

Luster:

Vitreous to Resinous

Refractive Index:

1.643 - 1.703  Biaxial ( + )

Birefringence:

0.0300

Dispersion:

Moderate to Strong; r > v

Pleochroism:

Distinct; yellow-brown to reddish brown

Occurances

Geological Setting:

A principal primary phosphate, or replacing earlier species, commonly lithiophilite, in complex zoned granite pegmatites; in hydrothermal tin veins.

Common Associations:

Triploidite–Wolfeite, Triphylite–Lithiophilite, Phosphosiderite, Vivianite, Apatite, Tourmaline, Sphalerite, Pyrite, Quartz

Common Impurities:

Sc

Type Locality:

Chanteloube, Razès, Haute-Vienne, Limousin, France

Year Discovered:

1813

View mineral photos:

Triplite Mineral Photos and Locations

More Information

Mindat.org
Webmineral.com

Triplite is an extremely rare collector's gem. Gems are usually very small. Most crystals are very dark brownish black and nearly opaque. Gem quality crystals of good color are very rare. Although gems are usually small they are very attractive due to their color. Until a recent find near the small village of Alchuri in the Shigar Valley, Skardu District, Baltistan, Northern Areas, Pakistan, gem quality crystals were non-existent. These bright pale orange crystals are very rare and prized as mineral specimens by collectors. To mineral collectors, Triplite is considered one of the "holy grails" of rare Pakistani mineral species. The other is Väyrynenite which comes from the same region.

There are many localities for finding Triplite; some prominent occurrences follow: from Limoges and in the La Vilate quarry, near Chanteloube, Haute-Vienne, France. In Germany, from Hagendorf, and on the Kreuzberg, Pleystein, Bavaria. At Horní Slavkov (Schlaggenwald), Czech Republic. From the Mangualde pegmatite, near Mesquitela, Portugal. At Lemnäs, Finland. In the Varuträsk pegmatite, 15 km northwest of Skellefteå, Västerbotten, Sweden. At the East Kemptville tin mine, Nova Scotia, Canada. In the USA, at the Mica Lode, Fremont County, Colorado; in the White Picacho district, Maricopa and Yavapai Counties., Arizona; from Lord Hill, Stoneham, Oxford County, Maine; at the Elk Ridge pegmatite, Custer, Custer County, South Dakota. From the El Criollo pegmatite, Cerro Blanco, Tanti district, 45 km west of Córdoba, Córdoba Province, Argentina, large nodules.
 

  
Triplite gems for sale: