Mineralpedia Details for Lasalite
Lasalite
Named for the La Sal district in Utah, USA where the type locality of the mineral at the Vanadium Queen mine is found. Lasalite is rare mineral that can be found only in the La Sal district in only a couple other mines besides its type locality. It is found “as efflorescences in oxidized portions of paleochannel uranium-vanadium deposits of the Colorado Plateau type.” Lasalite crystals will dehydrate to a tallow powder and are soluble in water.
Ref. Handbook of Mineralogy, Anthony et al (1995) and MSA at http://www.handbookofmineralogy.org/pdfs/lasalite.pdf
- Formula
- Na2Mg2(V10O28)ยท20H2O
- Crystal System
- Monoclinic
- Crystal Habit
- Prismatic, Efflorescences
- Cleavage
- None, None, None
- Luster
- Vitreous (Glassy)
- Color
- yellow, yellow orange
- Streak
- yellow
- Class
- Monoclinic - Prismatic
- Fracture
- Brittle
- Hardness
- 1
- WebMineral
- View Lasalite
- Mindat
- View Lasalite
Lasalite from Vanadium Queen mine, near La Sal, San Juan Co., Utah, United States
Bright fiery orange, to yellowish orange on the far side, efflorescent crusts about 2mm thick on sandstone. There are crystals faces which glisten but no well defined crystals.