Mineralpedia Details for Perhamite
Perhamite
Named after Frank Croydon Perham, an American geologist and pegmatite miner in Main, USA. Perhamite is an uncommon mineral the forms in isolated masses in an amblygonite-rich pegmatite at one of its co-type localities at the Bell Pit in Maine. Other localities include another in the United States in Nevada, and in South Australia, among a few others.
Ref. Handbook of Mineralogy, Anthony et al (1995) and MSA at http://www.handbookofmineralogy.org/pdfs/perhamite.pdf
- Formula
- Ca3Al7.7Si3P4O23.5(OH)14.1ยท8H2O
- Crystal System
- Hexagonal
- Crystal Habit
- Platy
- Cleavage
- Perfect, None, None
- Luster
- Vitreous (Glassy)
- Color
- light brown, white
- Streak
- white
- Class
- Hexagonal - Dihexagonal Dipyramidal
- Hardness
- 5
- WebMineral
- View Perhamite
- Mindat
- View Perhamite
Perhamite from Tom's Phosphate quarry, Kapunda, South Australia, Australia
Snow white Perhamite completely replacing Fluellite (blocky) and Wavellite (acicular).
Click thumbnail images for larger view.
Perhamite from Emmons quarry, Oxford, Co., Maine, United States
White rosettes of Perhamite to 1mm. Perhamite is relatively rare occuring mostly in granitic pegmatites, but not restricted to them.
Click thumbnail images for larger view.
