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 5-6 — softer than the next harder reference, harder than the previous one.
- 2Check the streakDrag the specimen across an unglazed porcelain plate. Aheylite leaves a white streak.
- 3Read the lusterHold the specimen under a strong light. Aheylite typically shows a vitreous luster.
- 4Match the color rangeCompare against the expected color range: blue, green, blue-green.
- 5Look at form & habitCrystal system: triclinic. Typical habit: microcrystalline aggregates.
Often confused with
Aheylite vs. its common look-alikes — and how to tell them apart in the field.
How to tell apart: Luster reads vitreous on Aheylite and waxy on Turquoise.
How to tell apart: Streak differs — Aheylite leaves white, Chalcosiderite leaves light green; luster reads vitreous on Aheylite and vitreous to greasy on Chalcosiderite.
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
- 5-6
- Density
- 2.8 g/cm³
- Colors
- Streak
- White
- Luster
- Vitreous
- Transparency
- Translucent
- Crystal system
- Triclinic
- Crystal habit
- Microcrystalline Aggregates
- Cleavage
- None
- Rarity
- Rare
- Uses
- Collector, Specimen
- Host rock
- Phosphate-rich Pegmatites
- Typical price
- $20-150 for small specimens
Where rockhounds find aheylite
Classic worldwide localities
- Hagendorf-Pleystein, Germany
- Rapid Creek, Yukon, Canada
- Cristalina, Brazil
Field-hunting tip
Look in phosphate-rich pegmatites country — that is the host setting where aheylite typically forms. If you start seeing triplite, quartz, dickite in float, you are in the right ground. Field specimens usually show a microcrystalline aggregates habit, so train your eye for that shape before scanning the outcrop.
Common questions
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Find aheylite on the map
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