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Phosphate

Calcioferrite

Ca₄MgFe³⁺₄(PO₄)₆(OH)₄·12H₂O
Hardness2.5
Crystal systemMonoclinic
ClassPhosphate
Calcioferrite specimen

Calcioferrite Locality: Hagendorf South Pegmatite (Cornelia Mine; Hagendorf South Open Cut), Hagendorf , Waidhaus , Vohenstrauß , Oberpfälzer Wald , Upper Palatinate , Bavaria , Germany ( Locality at mindat.org ) Picture width 1,5 mm. Collection and photo Christian Rewitzer — Photo: Christian Rewitzer · CC BY-SA 3.0

Calcioferrite

Calcioferrite is an IMA-recognized mineral species in the phosphate class, with the chemical formula Ca₄MgFe³⁺₄(PO₄)₆(OH)₄·12H₂O.

It crystallizes in the monoclinic crystal system (space group C2/c). It is a member of the Calcioferrite structural group.

Key properties: Mohs hardness 2.5; specific gravity 2.51–2.53; Sulfur-yellow to white streak; Pearly on cleavages luster; optically biaxial.

IMA symbol Cfr, grandfathered status — known before the IMA’s founding, named in 1858.

Occurs as nodules in a bed of Tertiary clay (The Battenberg, Germany); in phosphatic clay (Moculta quarry, Australia).

It is found associated with Montgomeryite, jarosite, cacoxenite, tinticite, apatite, pyrite (Moculta quarry, Australia).

The name refers to CALCIum and iron, FERRum, in the composition.

Index entry. This entry combines official IMA/RRUFF species data with published physical-property data — a full written entry hasn’t been published yet. Browse more C minerals or help write this entry.