Lasalite Locality: Vanadium Queen Mine, La Sal Creek Canyon, Paradox Valley District, Paradox Valley, San Juan Co., Utah, USA Bright orange crystalline crust of Lasalite. This nice specimen was acquired from Tom Loomis and was tested by Bob Jenkins at the University of Arizona using Raman spectroscopy. This specimen contains no Pascoite. Field of view 6 mm. Specimen and photo Leon Hupperichs. — Photo: Leon Hupperichs · CC BY-SA 3.0
Lasalite
Lasalite is an IMA-recognized mineral species in the oxides & hydroxide class, with the chemical formula Na₂Mg₂V₁₀O₂₈·20H₂O.
It crystallizes in the monoclinic crystal system (space group C2/c). It is a member of the Pascoite structural group.
Key properties: Mohs hardness 1; specific gravity 2.38; Yellow streak; Adamantine luster; optically biaxial.
IMA symbol Las, IMA status: approved, named in 2007.
Occurs as efflorescences in oxidized portions of paleochannel uranium vanadium deposits of the Colorado Plateau type.
It is found associated with Rossite, dickthomssenite, hewettite.
The name refers to the mining district that provided the first specimens.