Schoderite Locality: VanNavSan Claim (Van Nav Sand claim), Gibellini District, Eureka Co., Nevada, USA Yellow xls of Schoderite. Field of view 4 mm. Specimen and photo Leon Hupperichs. — Photo: Leon Hupperichs · CC BY-SA 3.0
Schoderite
Schoderite is an IMA-recognized mineral species in the phosphate class, with the chemical formula Al₂(PO₄)(VO₄)·8H₂O.
It crystallizes in the monoclinic crystal system (space group P2/m).
Key properties: Mohs hardness 2; specific gravity 1.92; optically biaxial.
IMA symbol Sde, IMA status: approved, named in 1962.
A rare mineral formed from amorphous phosphatic gels or by crystallization from meteoric solution in fractures in phosphatic chert (Fish Creek Range, Nevada, USA).
It is found associated with Vashegyite, wavellite (Fish Creek Range, Nevada, USA); metahewettite, metaschoderite, bokite, minyulite, leucophosphite (Cockalorum Wash, Nevada, USA).
The mineral was named to honor William Paul Schoder (1900-1977), research chemist, Union Carbide Corporation, for his work on the metallurgy of vanadium.