Phosphate mineral

Apatite

Phosphate minerals are minerals that contain the tetrahedrally coordinated phosphate (PO3−4) anion, sometimes with arsenate (AsO3−4) and vanadate (VO3−4) substitutions, along with chloride (Cl⁻), fluoride (F⁻), and hydroxide (OH⁻) anions, that also fit into the crystal structure.

The phosphate class of minerals is a large and diverse group, however, only a few species are relatively common.

Applications

Main article: Phosphate rock

Phosphate rock, which contains high concentrations of apatite-group minerals, serves as the primary economic source for phosphorus extraction. The majority of mined phosphate minerals are utilized in the agricultural industry for the production of fertilizers and animal feed supplements. Beyond agriculture, these minerals are employed in industrial applications including water treatment, metallurgy, food preservation, ceramics, and cosmetics. Additionally, phosphate compounds are commonly utilized in electrochemical conversion coatings to control rust and inhibit corrosion on ferrous materials.

Examples

Phosphate minerals include:

• Triphylite Li(Fe,Mn)PO₄
• Monazite (La, Y, Nd, Sm, Gd, Ce,Th)PO₄, rare earth metals
• Hinsdalite PbAl₃(PO₄)(SO₄)(OH)₆
• Pyromorphite Pb₅(PO₄)₃Cl
• Amblygonite LiAlPO₄F
• Lazulite (Mg,Fe)Al₂(PO₄)₂(OH)₂
• Wavellite Al₃(PO₄)₂(OH)₃·5H₂O
• Turquoise CuAl₆(PO₄)₄(OH)₈·5H₂O
• Autunite Ca(UO₂)₂(PO₄)₂·10–12H₂O
• Phosphophyllite Zn₂(Fe,Mn)(PO₄)₂·4H₂O
• Struvite (NH₄)MgPO₄·6H₂O
• Xenotime-Y Y(PO₄)
• Apatite group Ca₅(PO₄)₃(F,Cl,OH)
  • Hydroxyapatite Ca₅(PO₄)₃OH
  • Fluorapatite Ca₅(PO₄)₃F
  • Chlorapatite Ca₅(PO₄)₃Cl
  • Bromapatite
• Mitridatite group:
  • Arseniosiderite-mitridatite series (Ca₂(Fe³⁺)₃[(O)₂|(AsO₄)₃]·3H₂O -- Ca₂(Fe³⁺)₃[(O)₂|(PO₄)₃]·3H₂O)
  • Arseniosiderite-robertsite series (Ca₂(Fe³⁺)₃[(O)₂|(AsO₄)₃]·3H₂O -- Ca₃(Mn³⁺)₄[(OH)₃|(PO₄)₂]₂·3H₂O)

Nickel–Strunz classification -08- phosphates

IMA-CNMNC proposes a new hierarchical scheme (Mills et al., 2009). This list uses it to modify the classification of Nickel–Strunz (mindat.org, 10 ed, pending publication).

• Abbreviations:
  • "*" – discredited (IMA/CNMNC status).
  • "?" – questionable/doubtful (IMA/CNMNC status).
  • "REE" – Rare-earth element (Sc, Y, La, Ce, Pr, Nd, Pm, Sm, Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb, Lu)
  • "PGE" – Platinum-group element (Ru, Rh, Pd, Os, Ir, Pt)
  • 03.C Aluminofluorides, 06 Borates, 08 Vanadates (04.H V^[5,6] Vanadates), 09 Silicates:
    • Neso: insular (from Greek νησος nēsos, island)
    • Soro: grouping (from Greek σωροῦ sōros, heap, mound (especially of corn))
    • Cyclo: ring
    • Ino: chain (from Greek ις [genitive: ινος inos], fibre)
    • Phyllo: sheet (from Greek φύλλον phyllon, leaf)
    • Tekto: three-dimensional framework
• Nickel–Strunz code scheme: NN.XY.##x
  • NN: Nickel–Strunz mineral class number
  • X: Nickel–Strunz mineral division letter
  • Y: Nickel–Strunz mineral family letter
  • ##x: Nickel–Strunz mineral/group number, x add-on letter

Class: phosphates

• 08.A Phosphates, etc. without additional anions, without H₂O
  • 08.AA With small cations (some also with larger ones): 05 Berlinite, 05 Rodolicoite; 10 Beryllonite, 15 Hurlbutite, 20 Lithiophosphate, 25 Nalipoite, 30 Olympite
  • 08.AB With medium-sized cations: 05 Farringtonite; 10 Ferrisicklerite, 10 Heterosite, 10 Natrophilite, 10 Lithiophilite, 10 Purpurite, 10 Sicklerite, 10 Simferite, 10 Triphylite; 15 Chopinite, 15 Sarcopside; 20 Beusite, 20 Graftonite
  • 08.AC With medium-sized and large cations: 10 IMA2008-054, 10 Alluaudite, 10 Hagendorfite, 10 Ferroalluaudite, 10 Maghagendorfite, 10 Varulite, 10 Ferrohagendorfite*; 15 Bobfergusonite, 15 Ferrowyllieite, 15 Qingheiite, 15 Rosemaryite, 15 Wyllieite, 15 Ferrorosemaryite; 20 Maricite, 30 Brianite, 35 Vitusite-(Ce); 40 Olgite?, 40 Bario-olgite; 45 Ferromerrillite, 45 Bobdownsite, 45 Merrillite-(Ca)*, 45 Merrillite, 45 Merrillite-(Y)*, 45 Whitlockite, 45 Tuite, 45 Strontiowhitlockite; 50 Stornesite-(Y), 50 Xenophyllite, 50 Fillowite, 50 Chladniite, 50 Johnsomervilleite, 50 Galileiite; 55 Harrisonite, 60 Kosnarite, 65 Panethite, 70 Stanfieldite, 90 IMA2008-064
  • 08.AD With only large cations: 05 Nahpoite, 10 Monetite, 15 Archerite, 15 Biphosphammite; 20 Phosphammite, 25 Buchwaldite; 35 Pretulite, 35 Xenotime-(Y), 35 Xenotime-(Yb); 45 Ximengite, 50 Monazite-(Ce), 50 Monazite-(La), 50 Monazite-(Nd), 50 Monazite-(Sm), 50 Brabantite?
• 08.B Phosphates, etc. with Additional Anions, without H₂O
  • 08.BA With small and medium-sized cations: 05 Vayrynenite; 10 Hydroxylherderite, 10 Herderite; 15 Babefphite
  • 08.BB With only medium-sized cations, (OH, etc.):RO₄ £1:1: 05 Amblygonite, 05 Natromontebrasite?, 05 Montebrasite?, 05 Tavorite; 10 Zwieselite, 10 Triplite, 10 Magniotriplite?, 10 Hydroxylwagnerite; 15 Joosteite, 15 Stanekite, 15 Triploidite, 15 Wolfeite, 15 Wagnerite; 20 Satterlyite, 20 Holtedahlite; 25 Althausite; 30 Libethenite, 30 Zincolibethenite; 35 Tarbuttite; 40 Barbosalite, 40 Hentschelite, 40 Scorzalite, 40 Lazulite; 45 Trolleite, 55 Phosphoellenbergerite; 90 Zinclipscombite, 90 Lipscombite, 90 Richellite
  • 08.BC With only medium-sized cations, (OH, etc.):RO₄ > 1:1 and < 2:1: 10 Plimerite, 10 Frondelite, 10 Rockbridgeite
  • 08.BD With only medium-sized cations, (OH, etc.):RO₄ = 2:1: 05 Pseudomalachite, 05 Reichenbachite, 10 Gatehouseite, 25 Ludjibaite
  • 08.BE With only medium-sized cations, (OH, etc.):RO₄ > 2:1: 05 Augelite, 10 Grattarolaite, 15 Cornetite, 30 Raadeite, 85 Waterhouseite
  • 08.BF With medium-sized and large cations, (OH, etc.):RO₄ < 0.5:1: 05 Arrojadite, 05 Arrojadite-(BaFe), 05 Arrojadite-(KFe), 05 Arrojadite-(NaFe), 05 Arrojadite-(SrFe), 05 Arrojadite-(KNa), 05 Arrojadite-(PbFe), 05 Arrojadite-(BaNa), 05 Fluorarrojadite-(BaNa), 05 Fluorarrojadite-(KNa), 05 Fluorarrojadite-(BaFe), 05 Ferri-arrojadite-(BaNa), 05 Dickinsonite, 05 Dickinsonite-(KNa), 05 Dickinsonite-(KMnNa), 05 Dickinsonite-(KNaNa), 05 Dickinsonite-(NaNa); 10 Samuelsonite, 15 Griphite, 20 Nabiasite
  • 08.BG With medium-sized and large cations, (OH, etc.):RO₄ = 0.5:1: 05 Bearthite, 05 Goedkenite, 05 Tsumebite; 10 Melonjosephite, 15 Tancoite
  • 08.BH With medium-sized and large cations, (OH,etc.):RO₄ = 1:1: 05 Thadeuite; 10 Lacroixite, 10 Isokite, 10 Panasqueiraite; 15 Drugmanite; 20 Bjarebyite, 20 Kulanite, 20 Penikisite, 20 Perloffite, 20 Johntomaite; 25 Bertossaite, 25 Palermoite; 55 Jagowerite, 60 Attakolite
  • 08.BK With medium-sized and large cations, (OH, etc.): 05 Brazilianite, 15 Curetonite, 25 Lulzacite
  • 08.BL With medium-sized and large cations, (OH, etc.):RO₄ = 3:1: 05 Corkite, 05 Hinsdalite, 05 Orpheite, 05 Woodhouseite, 05 Svanbergite; 10 Kintoreite, 10 Benauite, 10 Crandallite, 10 Goyazite, 10 Springcreekite, 10 Gorceixite; 10 Lusungite?, 10 Plumbogummite, 10 Ferrazite?; 13 Eylettersite, 13 Florencite-(Ce), 13 Florencite-(La), 13 Florencite-(Nd), 13 Waylandite, 13 Zairite; 15 Viitaniemiite, 20 Kuksite, 25 Pattersonite
  • 08.BM With medium-sized and large cations, (OH, etc.):RO₄ = 4:1: 10 Paulkellerite, 15 Brendelite
  • 08.BN With only large cations, (OH, etc.):RO₄ = 0.33:1: 05 IMA2008-068, 05 Phosphohedyphane, 05 IMA2008-009, 05 Alforsite, 05 Apatite*, 05 Apatite-(CaOH), 05 Apatite-(CaCl), 05 Apatite-(CaF), 05 Apatite-(SrOH), 05 Apatite-(CaOH)-M, Carbonate-fluorapatite?, 05 Carbonate-hydroxylapatite?, 05 Belovite-(Ce), 05 Belovite-(La), 05 Fluorcaphite, 05 Pyromorphite, 05 Hydroxylpyromorphite, 05 Deloneite-(Ce), 05 Kuannersuite-(Ce), 10 Arctite
  • 08.BO With only large cations, (OH, etc.):RO₄ 1:1: 05 Nacaphite, 10 Petitjeanite, 15 Smrkovecite, 25 Heneuite, 30 Nefedovite, 40 Artsmithite
• 08.C Phosphates without Additional Anions, with H₂O
  • 08.CA With small and large/medium cations: 05 Fransoletite, 05 Parafransoletite; 10 Ehrleite, 15 Faheyite; 20 Gainesite, 20 Mccrillisite, 20 Selwynite; 25 Pahasapaite, 30 Hopeite, 40 Phosphophyllite; 45 Parascholzite, 45 Scholzite; 65 Gengenbachite, 70 Parahopeite
  • 08.CB With only medium-sized cations, RO₄:H₂O = 1:1: 05 Serrabrancaite, 10 Hureaulite
  • 08.CC With only medium-sized cations, RO₄:H₂O = 1:1.5: 05 Garyansellite, 05 Kryzhanovskite, 05 Landesite, 05 Phosphoferrite, 05 Reddingite
  • 08.CD With only medium-sized cations, RO₄:H₂O = 1:2: 05 Kolbeckite, 05 Metavariscite, 05 Phosphosiderite; 10 Strengite, 10 Variscite; 20 Ludlamite
  • 08.CE With only medium-sized cations, RO₄:H₂O £1:2.5: 10 Newberyite, 20 Phosphorrosslerite; 25 Metaswitzerite, 25 Switzerite; 35 Bobierrite; 40 Arupite, 40 Baricite, 40 Vivianite, 40 Pakhomovskyite; 50 Cattiite, 55 Koninckite; 75 IMA2008-046, 75 Malhmoodite; 80 Santabarbaraite, 85 Metavivianite
  • 08.CF With large and medium-sized cations, RO₄:H₂O > 1:1: 05 Tassieite, 05 Wicksite, 05 Bederite; 10 Haigerachite
  • 08.CG With large and medium-sized cations, RO₄:H₂O = 1:1: 05 Collinsite, 05 Cassidyite, 05 Fairfieldite, 05 Messelite, 05 Hillite, (05 Uranophane-beta but Uranophane 09.AK.15); 20 Phosphogartrellite
  • 08.CH With large and medium-sized cations, RO₄:H₂O < 1:1: 10 Anapaite, 20 Dittmarite, 20 Niahite, 25 Francoanellite, 25 Taranakite, 30 Schertelite, 35 Hannayite, 40 Hazenite, 40 Struvite, 40 Struvite-(K), 45 Rimkorolgite, 50 Bakhchisaraitsevite, 55 IMA2008-048
  • 08.CJ With only large cations: 05 Stercorite, 10 Mundrabillaite, 10 Swaknoite, 15 Nastrophite, 15 Nabaphite, 45 Brockite, 45 Grayite, 45 Rhabdophane-(Ce), 45 Rhabdophane-(La), 45 Rhabdophane-(Nd), 45 Tristramite, 50 Brushite, 50 Churchite-(Dy)*, 50 Churchite-(Nd), 50 Churchite-(Y), 50 Ardealite, 60 Dorfmanite, 70 Catalanoite, 80 Ningyoite
• 08.D Phosphates
  • 08.DA With small (and occasionally larger) cations: 05 Moraesite, 10 Footemineite, 10 Ruifrancoite, 10 Guimaraesite, 10 Roscherite, 10 Zanazziite, 10 Atencioite, 10 Greifensteinite; 15 Uralolite, 20 Weinebeneite, 25 Tiptopite, 30 Veszelyite, 35 Kipushite, 40 Spencerite, 45 Glucine
  • 08.DB With only medium-sized cations, (OH, etc.):RO₄ < 1:1: 05 Diadochite, 10 Vashegyite, 15 Schoonerite, 20 Sinkankasite, 25 Mitryaevaite, 30 Sanjuanite, 50 Giniite, 55 Sasaite, 60 Mcauslanite, 65 Goldquarryite, 70 Birchite
  • 08.DC With only medium-sized cations, (OH, etc.):RO₄ = 1:1 and < 2:1: 05 Nissonite; 15 Kunatite, 15 Earlshannonite, 15 Whitmoreite; 17 Kleemanite, 20 Bermanite, 207? Oxiberaunite*, 22 Kovdorskite; 25 Ferrostrunzite, 25 Ferristrunzite, 25 Metavauxite, 25 Strunzite; 27 Beraunite; 30 Gordonite, 30 Laueite, 30 Sigloite, 30 Paravauxite, 30 Ushkovite, 30 Ferrolaueite, 30 Mangangordonite, 30 Pseudolaueite, 30 Stewartite, 30 Kastningite, 35 Vauxite, 37 Vantasselite, 40 Cacoxenite; 45 Gormanite, 45 Souzalite; 47 Kingite; 50 Wavellite, 50 Allanpringite, 52 Kribergite, 60 Nevadaite
  • 08.DD With only medium-sized cations, (OH, etc.):RO₄ = 2:1: 15 Aheylite, 15 Chalcosiderite, 15 Faustite, 15 Planerite, 15 Turquoise; 20 Ernstite, 20 Childrenite, 20 Eosphorite
  • 08.DE With only medium-sized cations, (OH, etc.):RO₄ = 3:1: 05 Senegalite, 10 Fluellite, 20 Zapatalite, (35 Alumoakermanite, Mindat.org: 09.BB.10), 35 Aldermanite
  • 08.DF With only medium-sized cations, (OH,etc.):RO₄ > 3:1: 05 Hotsonite-VII, 05 Hotsonite-VI; 10 Bolivarite, 10 Evansite, 10 Rosieresite, 25 Sieleckiite, 40 Gladiusite
  • 08.DG With large and medium-sized cations, (OH, etc.):RO₄ < 0.5:1: 05 Sampleite
  • 08.DH With large and medium-sized cations, (OH, etc.):RO₄ < 1:1: 05 Minyulite; 10 Leucophosphite, 10 Spheniscidite, 10 Tinsleyite; 15 Kaluginite*, 15 Keckite, 15 Jahnsite-(CaMnFe), 15 Jahnsite-(CaMnMg), 15 Jahnsite-(CaMnMn), 15 Jahnsite-(MnMnMn)*, 15 Jahnsite-(CaFeFe), 15 Jahnsite-(NaFeMg), 15 Jahnsite-(CaMgMg), 15 Jahnsite-(NaMnMg), 15 Rittmannite, 15 Whiteite-(MnFeMg), 15 Whiteite-(CaFeMg), 15 Whiteite-(CaMnMg); 20 Manganosegelerite, 20 Overite, 20 Segelerite, 20 Wilhelmvierlingite, 20 Juonniite; 25 Calcioferrite, 25 Kingsmountite, 25 Montgomeryite, 25 Zodacite; 30 Lunokite, 30 Pararobertsite, 30 Robertsite, 30 Mitridatite; 35 Matveevite?, 35 Mantienneite, 35 Paulkerrite, 35 Benyacarite, 40 Xanthoxenite, 55 Englishite
  • 08.DJ With large and medium-sized cations, (OH, etc.):RO₄ = 1:l: 05 Johnwalkite, 05 Olmsteadite, 10 Gatumbaite, 20 Meurigite-Na, 20 Meurigite-K, 20 Phosphofibrite, 25 Jungite, 30 Wycheproofite, 35 Ercitite, 40 Mrazekite
  • 08.DK With large and medium-sized cations, (OH, etc.):RO₄ > 1:1 and < 2:1: 15 Matioliite, 15 IMA2008-056, 15 Dufrenite, 15 Burangaite, 15 Natrodufrenite; 20 Kidwellite, 25 Bleasdaleite, 30 Matulaite, 35 Krasnovite
  • 08.DL With large and medium-sized cations, (OH, etc.):RO₄ = 2:1: 05 Foggite; 10 Cyrilovite, 10 Millisite, 10 Wardite; 15 Petersite-(Y), 15 Calciopetersite; 25 Angastonite
  • 08.DM With large and medium-sized cations, (OH, etc.):RO₄ > 2:1: 05 Morinite, 15 Melkovite, 25 Gutsevichite?, 35 Delvauxite
  • 08.DN With only large cations: 05 Natrophosphate, 10 Isoclasite, 15 Lermontovite, 20 Vyacheslavite
  • 08.DO With CO₃, SO₄, SiO₄: 05 Girvasite, 10 Voggite, 15 Peisleyite, 20 Perhamite, 25 Saryarkite-(Y), 30 Micheelsenite, 40 Parwanite, 45 Skorpionite
• 08.E Uranyl Phosphates
  • 08.EA UO₂:RO₄ = 1:2: 05 Phosphowalpurgite, 10 Parsonsite, 15 Ulrichite, 20 Lakebogaite
  • 08.EB UO₂:RO₄ = 1:1: 05 Autunite, 05 Uranocircite, 05 Torbernite, 05 Xiangjiangite, 05 Saleeite; 10 Bassetite, 10 Meta-autunite, 10 Metauranocircite, 10 Metatorbernite, 10 Lehnerite, 10 Przhevalskite; 15 Chernikovite, 15 Meta-ankoleite, 15 Uramphite; 20 Threadgoldite, 25 Uranospathite, 30 Vochtenite, 35 Coconinoite, 40 Ranunculite, 45 Triangulite, 50 Furongite, 55 Sabugalite
  • 08.EC UO₂:RO₄ = 3:2: 05 Francoisite-(Ce), 05 Francoisite-(Nd), 05 Phuralumite, 05 Upalite; 10 Kivuite?, 10 Yingjiangite, 10 Renardite, 10 Dewindtite, 10 Phosphuranylite; 15 Dumontite; 20 Metavanmeersscheite, 20 Vanmeersscheite; 25 Althupite, 30 Mundite, 35 Phurcalite, 40 Bergenite
  • 08.ED Unclassified: 05 Moreauite, 10 Sreinite, 15 Kamitugaite
• 08.F Polyphosphates
  • 08.FA Polyphosphates, without OH and H₂O; dimers of corner-sharing RO₄ tetrahedra: 20 Pyrocoproite*, 20 Pyrophosphite*
  • 08.FC Polyphosphates, with H₂O only: 10 Canaphite, 20 Arnhemite*, 25 Wooldridgeite, 30 Kanonerovite
• 08.X Unclassified Strunz Phosphates
  • 08.XX Unknown: 00 Sodium-autunite, 00 Pseudo-autunite*, 00 Cheralite-(Ce)?, 00 Laubmannite?, 00 Spodiosite?, 00 Sodium meta-autunite, 00 Kerstenite?, 00 Lewisite, 00 Coeruleolactite, 00 Viseite, 00 IMA2009-005

Further reading

• Hurlbut, Cornelius S.; Klein, Cornelis, 1985, Manual of Mineralogy, 20th ed., John Wiley and Sons, New York ISBN 0-471-80580-7
• Stuart J. Mills; Frédéric Hatert; Ernest H. Nickel & Giovanni Ferraris (2009). "The standardisation of mineral group hierarchies: application to recent nomenclature proposals" (PDF). Eur. J. Mineral. 21 (5): 1073–1080. Bibcode:2009EJMin..21.1073M. doi:10.1127/0935-1221/2009/0021-1994. Archived from the original (PDF) on Oct 30, 2013.
• Ernest H. Nickel & Monte C. Nichols (March 2009). "IMA/CNMNC List of Mineral Name" (PDF). IMA-CNMNC. Archived from the original (PDF) on June 26, 2013. Retrieved January 30, 2011.
• Ferraiolo, Jim. "Minerals Arranged by Nickel-Strunz (Version 10) Classification". Mineralogy Database. Archived from the original on Aug 4, 2023.

External links

• Webmineral - Dana
• - Australian Mineral Atlas