Wakefieldite-(Y)
Wakefieldite ((La,Ce,Nd,Y)VO4) is an uncommon rare-earth element vanadate mineral. There are four main types described of wakefieldite- wakefieldite-(La), wakefieldite-(Ce), wakefieldite-(Nd), and wakefieldite-(Y), depending upon the dominant rare-earth metal ion present. Wakefieldite has a Mohs hardness ranging from 4 to 5. Wakefieldite forms crystals of tetragonal structure. In terms of crystal structure, it is the vanadate analog of the rare-earth phosphate mineral xenotime.
Intro adapted from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA).
Wakefieldite-(Y) is an IMA-recognized mineral species in the vanadate class, with the chemical formula YVO₄.
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 5; specific gravity 4.25; optically uniaxial.
IMA symbol Wf-Y, IMA status: approved, named in 1969.
Found in quartz in a zoned granite pegmatite (Evans-Lou quarry, Canada).
It is found associated with Hellandite, quartz, kainosite-(Y), montmorillonite (Evans-Lou quarry, Canada).
The name refers to Wakefield Lake, nearby the Evans-Lou quarry, Canada, and the dominant rare earth, yttrium.