Pale brown prismatic crystals of Wakefieldite-(La) (Picture size: 3 mm) Locality: Glücksstern Mine, Gottlob, Friedrichroda, Thuringia, Germany — Photo: Thomas Witzke · CC BY-SA 3.0 de
Wakefieldite-(La)
Wakefieldite-(La) is the lanthanum endpoint of Wakefieldite with the ideal formula LaVO4. As a vanadate in the tetragonal crystal system, the rare-earth mineral is a member of the xenotime group. Wakefieldite-(La) was first described in 2008 for an occurrence in the Glücksstern mine, Gottlob Hill, Friedrichroda, Thuringia, Germany. Similar to other rare-earth minerals, the type material contained considerable parts of other rare earth elements, namely neodymium, praseodymium, samarium and yttrium.
Intro adapted from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA).
Wakefieldite-(La) is an IMA-recognized mineral species in the vanadate class, with the chemical formula LaVO₄.
It crystallizes in the tetragonal crystal system (space group I4_1/amd). It is a member of the Zircon structural group.
Key properties: Mohs hardness 4; specific gravity 4.727; White streak; Adamantine luster; optically uniaxial.
IMA symbol Wf-La, IMA status: approved, named in 1989.
A low temperature mineral in a hydrothermal barite vein.
It is found associated with Hausmannite, barite, gottlobite.
As the La analogue of wakefieldite-(Ce) and wakefieldite-(Y).