Cochise College          Photos of Minerals

                          Geology Home Page                

                          Roger Weller, geology instructor

                          [email protected]
                                  copyright 2010-R.Weller

 

Mineral Information on:
purpurite

Chemical Group: phosphate

Chemical Formula:  MnO₄

Color:  purple                                                     Streak:  deep red to purple

Hardness: 4 to 4.5                Specific Gravity:  3.3                Fracture:  uneven

Cleavage:  1 good, 1 poor        Luster:  vitreous to submetallic

transparent to opaque 

brittle

Crystal Forms:  Orthorhombic system

Habits:  usually massive, earthy

Mineral Associations:

Identifying Characteristics: color

Uses:

Occurrences: 

Toxicity:      when-swallowed-                            when inhaled-

Additional Information:  alteration product of lithophyllite