Outstanding reddish brown crystals of the extremely rare and new mineral schmidite (IMA 2017-012) from the only known locality worldwide, the Hagendorf pegmatite (Hagendorf South Pegmatite, Bavaria, Germany). EDS analyzed specimen. — Photo: David Hospital · CC BY-SA 4.0
Schmidite
Schmidite is an IMA-recognized mineral species in the phosphate class, with the chemical formula Zn(Fe³⁺₀.₅Mn²⁺₀.₅)₂ZnFe³⁺(PO₄)₃(OH)₃(H₂O)₈.
It crystallizes in the orthorhombic crystal system (space group Pmab). It is a member of the Calcioferrite-Schoonerite structural group.
Key properties: specific gravity 2.89; optically biaxial.
IMA symbol Smd, IMA status: approved, named in 2017.
On and near altered phosphophyllite in a corroded triphylite nodule in granitic pegmatite.
It is found associated with Phosphophyllite, vivianite, zwieselite, apatite, laueite, whitmoreite, jahnsite-subgroup minerals, mitridatite, scholzite-parascholzite, stewartite.
The mineral was named to honor Dr. Hans Schmid (1925-2013), mining engineer, geologist, and discoverer of a large commercial triphylite deposit in the Hagendorf-Süd pegmatite.