Aheylite is an iron-dominant member of the turquoise group, often appearing as pale blue to green crusts or small aggregates. It is primarily found as a rare phosphate mineral in complex granite pegmatites. Collectors look for its characteristic color, which is often indistinguishable from turquoise without chemical testing.
Is this aheylite?
5-step field checkRun through these checks against the specimen in your hand. The more boxes tick, the more confident the ID.
- 1Test the hardnessTry to scratch aheylite with a known reference. Aheylite sits at Mohs 5-5.5, softer than the next harder reference, harder than the previous one.
- 2Check the streakDrag the specimen across an unglazed porcelain plate. Streak: white.
- 3Read the lusterHold the specimen under a strong light. Luster: porcelaneous to subvitreous.
- 4Match the color rangeCompare against the expected color range: blue green.
- 5Look at form & habitCrystal system: triclinic. Typical habit: aggregates, botryoidal, felted.
Often confused with
Aheylite vs. its common look-alikes, and how to tell them apart in the field.
How to tell apart: Luster reads porcelaneous to subvitreous on Aheylite and vitreous in crystals; dull to waxy if massive on Turquoise.
How to tell apart: Luster reads porcelaneous to subvitreous on Aheylite and vitreous on Chalcosiderite.
How to tell apart: Luster reads porcelaneous to subvitreous on Aheylite and vitreous on Wardite.
Often found alongside aheylite
Minerals reported to co-occur with aheylite. Spotting these in float or country rock is a strong cue you are in the right ground.
All properties
- Chemical formula
- FeAl₆(PO₄)₄(OH)₈·4H₂O
- Mohs hardness
- 5-5.5
- Density
- 2.84 g/cm³
- Colors
- Streak
- White
- Luster
- Porcelaneous to subvitreous
- Transparency
- Transparent in thin flakes
- Crystal system
- Triclinic
- Crystal habit
- Aggregates, botryoidal, felted
- Cleavage
- Good
- Rarity
- Rare
- Uses
- Collector, Specimen
- Host rock
- A late stage hydrothermal mineral in a base-metal-tin deposit (Huanuni mine, Bolivia)
Where rockhounds find aheylite
Classic worldwide localities
- Huanuni mine, Oruro, Bolivia
- Bali Lo copper prospect, 11 km west-southwest of Ashburton Downs homestead, Capricorn Range, Western Australia
Field-hunting tip
Where it forms: A late stage hydrothermal mineral in a base-metal-tin deposit (Huanuni mine, Bolivia). If you start seeing variscite, sphalerite, vivianite in float, you are in the right ground. Typical habit: aggregates, botryoidal, felted. Train your eye for that shape before scanning the outcrop.
Common questions
How do you identify aheylite?+
Where is aheylite found?+
What rocks look like aheylite?+
What minerals are found with aheylite?+
What kind of rock does aheylite form in?+
What is aheylite used for?+
Find aheylite on the map
RockHoundR shows mapped rockhounding spots, access rules, and lets you log every find.
