Cochise College          Photos of Minerals

                          Geology Home Page                

                          Roger Weller, geology instructor

                          [email protected]
                                  copyright 2007-R.Weller
 

Mineral Information on:
vivianite

Chemical Group:    phosphate

Chemical Formula:    Fe₃(PO₄)₂.8H₂0

Color:  colorless when unaltered; turns blue or green with alteration              
 

Luster:  vitreous,  metallic pearly on cleavage faces
 

Transparency: transparent when fresh; translucent when exposed to light.

Hardness:  1.5 to 2          Specific Gravity:   2.58 to 2.68 

Special Properties:  In thin pieces it is flexible; also sectile.            

Cleavage:  perfect cleavage (010)

Crystal Forms:  Monoclinic system
     Crystals are prismatic, often striated.

Mineral Associations:  pyrrhotite, pyrite, copper and tin ores

Identifying Characteristics:  usually altered (thus blue or green)

Uses:

USA occurrences:
New Jersey
Colorado
Georgia
Lumpkin, Stewart County

WORLD-Wide occurrences:
England
     Cornwall

Toxicity:      when-swallowed-                            when inhaled-

Additional Information: