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Phosphate

Florencite-(La)

LaAl₃(PO₄)₂(OH)₆
Hardness5
ClassPhosphate
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Florencite-(La) specimen

Florencite-(La) Locality: Igarapé Bahia Mine, Parauapebas, Carajás mineral province, Pará, North Region, Brazil Green crystals of Florencite-(La)(analysed). Field of view 4 mm. Specimen and photo Leon Hupperichs. — Photo: Leon Hupperichs · CC BY-SA 3.0

Florencite-(La)

Florencite-(La) is an IMA-recognized mineral species in the phosphate class, with the chemical formula LaAl₃(PO₄)₂(OH)₆.

It is a member of the Alunite-crandallite structural group.

Key properties: Mohs hardness 5; specific gravity 3.52; Greasy to resinous luster; optically uniaxial.

IMA symbol Flo-La, IMA status: approved, named in 1980.

Found as a secondary mineral in weathered metamorphosed corrensitic siltstone (Shituru deposit, Congo); an authigenic mineral in sandstone.

It is found associated with Synchysite-(Nd), manganoan siderite, sphalerite, kaolinite, “chalcedony”.

The name refers to a florencite with lanthanum as the dominant rare earth element.

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 F minerals or help write this entry.