Mineralpedia Details for Wavellite

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Wavellite

Discoverer of Wavellite, English physician William Wavel has the honor of its namesake. Wavellite is associated with crandallite and variscite as a seconday mineral in metamorphic rocks of low-grade as well as in phosphate deposits and rarely in hydrothermal veins. Wavellite is found worldwide in many localities. Readily dissolved by acids.

Ref. Handbook of Mineralogy, Anthony et al (1995) and MSA at http://www.handbookofmineralogy.org/pdfs/wavellite.pdf

Formula: Al₃(PO₄)₂(OH)₃·5H₂O
Crystal System: Orthorhombic
Crystal Habit: Stellate, Radial, Stalactitic
Cleavage: Perfect, Good, None
Luster: Vitreous - Pearly
Color: blue, brown, brownish black, colorless, green
Streak: white
Class: Orthorhombic - Dipyramidal
Fracture: Fibrous
Hardness: 3.5-4
WebMineral: View Wavellite
Mindat: View Wavellite

Wavellite from Ronneburg U deposit, Thuringia, Germany

Lime green, radial crystal sprays to 1.5cm.

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Wavellite from County pit, Mauldin Mtn., Mt. Ida,, Arkansas, United States

Light green, radiating, globular crystals to 6mm.

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Wavellite from Willard mine, Pershing Co., Nevada, United States

Gorgeous 5-6mm spherical sprays some complete, others as cross sections showing beautiful light or faint greenish white, acicular crystals of Wavellite.

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Wavellite from South Rasmussen Ridge mine, Soda Springs, Caribou Co., Idaho

Acicular white to colorless crystals to 3mm across.

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Wavellite from Amberg, Upper Palatinate, Bavaria, Germany

Green radial crystals to 2cm.

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Wavellite from Leonard mine, Butte dist., Silver Bow Co., Montana, United States

Translucent orange balls of Wavellite crystals to 2mm on the Quartz and the Pyrite. A rare occurence for this locality.

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Wavellite from Cavnic, Maramures Co., Romania

An older piece and though not a killer by any stretch nonetheless shows good Wavellite crystallization with the typical compact radial crystal sections to 9mm,

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Wavellite from Dug Hill, Avant, Garland Co., Arkansas, United States

A stunning arrangement of spheroidal Wavellite to 12mm with a large cross-sectional crystal 13mm across.

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Wavellite from High Down quarry, Filleigh, N. Devon, Devon, England

White radial crystals to 6mm on black shale.This is one of the better English wavellite localities.

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Wavellite from Mineral Ridge mine, Shenandoah Co., Virginia, United States

Free-standing sprays of white Wavellite to 2mm.

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Wavellite from Union Carbide mine, Wilson Springs, Garland Co., Arkansas, United States

Large cabinet specimen filled with light grey to colorless hemispherical "crystal balls" of Wavellite. Each group is to about 2-3mm. A nice specimen for this mine which is probably unattainable. I believe it is all reclaimed. Specifically the specimen was found at the North Wilson mine, within the complex associated with alkalic intrusives about six miles from Magnet Cove. The mine is famous for its Sincosite, which at one time was maybe the second world occurence behind Sincos, Peru.