Mineralpedia Details for Verplanckite

William E. Ver Planck, a geologist for the California Division of Mines and Geology in California, USA has the mineral Verplanckite named for him. It is found in metamorphic canbornite-quartz rocks as thin layers in only one locality in the world, its type locality, at the Esquire No. 7 claim in California.

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

Formula

Ba₄Mn²⁺₂Si₄O₁₂(OH,H₂O)₃Cl₃ 

Crystal System

Hexagonal 

Crystal Habit

Radial, Prismatic, Aggregates 

Cleavage

Good, Indistinct, None 

Luster

Vitreous (Glassy) 

Color

brownish yellow, brownish orange 

Streak

light orange 

Class

Hexagonal - Dihexagonal Dipyramidal 

Hardness

2.5-3 

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Special Info

Type Locality

Verplanckite occurs in metamorphic quartz-sanbornite rock with other rare barium silicates. The occurence is thus far the only reported occurence. Verplanckite is a barium silicate with essential manganese but also may contain iron and titanium. As the photos show, the mineral crystalizes in minute reddish-brown prisms mostly with crude crystal outlines in sanbornite rich rock. The crystals in this specimen measure about 1mm and less.