Lithiophilite
2211427
200377310
2008-03-23T21:15:06Z
Hyperdeath
1254298
Added manganese minerals template.
[[Image:Lithiophilite with pyrolusite and quartz Lithium manganese phosphate Midnight Owl Mine, White Picacho District, near Wickenburg, Arizona 2793.jpg|thumb|right|180px|Lithiophilite from [[Arizona]]]]
[[Image:Triphylite in Pegmatite Lithium iron phosphate Chandler Mills Mine Newport New Hampshire 1832.jpg|thumb|right|180px|Triphylite]]
'''Lithiophilite''' is a mineral containing the element [[lithium]]. It is lithium [[manganese]](II) [[phosphate]] with formula: [[lithium|Li]][[manganese|Mn]][[phosphorus|P]][[oxygen|O]]<sub>4</sub>. It occurs in [[pegmatites]] often associated with '''triphylite''' to which it is closely related. Triphylite being virtually the same mineral except that [[iron]](II) substitutes for manganese giving it the formula Li[[iron|Fe]]PO<sub>4</sub>. Lithiophylite and triphylite form a solid solution series, a mineral with intermediate composition is known as '''sicklerite''' (Li(Mn,Fe)PO<sub>4</sub>).
Lithiophylite is a resinous reddish to yellowish brown mineral crystallizing in the [[orthorhombic]] system often as slender prisms. The [[Mohs hardness]] is 4.5 and the [[specific gravity]] is 3.35.
It is usually associated with [[lepidolite]], [[beryl]], [[quartz]], [[albite]], [[amblygonite]], and [[spodumene]] of pegmatitic origin. It rather readily weathers to a variety of secondary manganese phosphates and oxides. The type locality is [[ Fairfield County, Connecticut]] where it was first reported in 1878.
==External links==
*[http://webmineral.com/data/Lithiophilite.shtml Webmineral]
*[http://www.mindat.org/min-2418.html Mindat w/location data]
*[http://mineral.galleries.com/minerals/phosphat/lithioph/lithioph.htm Mineral galleries]
[[Category:Lithium minerals]]
[[Category:Manganese minerals]]
[[Category:Phosphate minerals]]
{{mineral-stub}}
{{Manganese minerals}}
[[de:Triphylin]]
[[it:Litiofilite]]
[[nl:Lithiofiliet]]
[[pt:Litiofilite]]