Nevadaite Locality: Gold Quarry Mine (Maggie claims), Maggie Creek District, Eureka County , Nevada , USA ( Locality at mindat.org ) Blue Nevadaite together with small green Variscite balls. Field of view 4 mm. Specimen and photo Leon Hupperichs. — Photo: Leon Hupperichs · CC BY-SA 3.0
Nevadaite
A rare copper-aluminium phosphate with vanadium and fluorine, discovered in Nevada.
Intro adapted from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA).
Nevadaite is an IMA-recognized mineral species in the phosphate class, with the chemical formula (Cu²⁺, ,Al,V³⁺)₆Al₈(PO₄)₈F₈(OH)₂·22H₂O.
It crystallizes in the orthorhombic crystal system (space group P2_1mn).
Key properties: Mohs hardness 3; specific gravity 2.54; Pale powder-blue streak; Vitreous luster; optically biaxial.
IMA symbol Nev, IMA status: approved, named in 2002.
A weathering-derived mineral above a low grade, disseminated gold deposit in hydrothermally altered sedimentary rocks.
It is found associated with Intermediate members of the strengite-variscite series, fluellite, hewettite, and more rarely anatase, kazakhstanite, leucophosphite, tinticite, torbernite.
The name refers to the US state from which the first specimens were collected.