Petitjeanite Locality: Point 14.0, Hohenstein, Reichenbach, Bensheim, Odenwald, Hesse, Germany Field of view 5 mm. Specimen and photo Leon Hupperichs. — Photo: Leon Hupperichs · CC BY-SA 3.0
Petitjeanite
Petitjeanite is an IMA-recognized mineral species in the phosphate class, with the chemical formula Bi₃O(PO₄)₂(OH).
It crystallizes in the triclinic crystal system (space group P-1).
Key properties: Mohs hardness 4.5; specific gravity 6.99; White streak; Vitreous to adamantine luster; optically biaxial.
IMA symbol Pjn, IMA status: approved, named in 1992.
Found as a rare secondary mineral in a silicified barite vein (Gadernheim, Germany).
It is found associated with Bismutite, mixite, reichenbachite, pyromorphite, malachite (Gadernheim, Germany).
The mineral was named to honor Klaus Petitjean, amateur mineral collector who has discovered several new species in the Reichenbach, Germany district.