Xenophyllite
A rare sodium-iron phosphate described from Ukraine's Augustinovka meteorite.
Intro adapted from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA).
Xenophyllite is an IMA-recognized mineral species in the phosphate class, with the chemical formula Na₄Fe₇(PO₄)₆.
Key properties: Mohs hardness 3.5–4; specific gravity 3.58; White streak; Vitreous luster; optically biaxial.
IMA symbol Xp, IMA status: approved, named in 2006.
Found in phosphide-phosphate assemblages confined to troilite nodules of an iron meteorite (medium octahedrite, IIIAB).
It is found associated with Sarcopside, schreibersite, chromite, pentlandite.
The name comes from the Greek, xénos (stranger) and fýllo (leaf), for its extraterrestrial origin and perfect cleavage.
Index entry. This entry combines official IMA/RRUFF species data with published physical-property data and a Wikipedia introduction — a full written entry hasn’t been published yet.
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