Canaphite is an extremely rare hydrous calcium sodium phosphate mineral found primarily in unique sedimentary iron formations. It typically appears as thin, white to colorless platy crystals or fibrous masses often tucked within cavities of larger phosphate-rich nodules. Collectors generally find it only in specialized study sets of rare Canadian mineral occurrences.
Is this canaphite?
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 canaphite with a known reference. Canaphite sits at Mohs ~2, 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: vitreous.
- 4Match the color rangeCompare against the expected color range: colorless.
- 5Look at form & habitCrystal system: monoclinic. Typical habit: platy crystals, fibrous aggregates.
Often confused with
Canaphite vs. its common look-alikes, and how to tell them apart in the field.
Often found alongside canaphite
Minerals reported to co-occur with canaphite. Spotting these in float or country rock is a strong cue you are in the right ground.
All properties
- Chemical formula
- Na₂CaP₂O₇·4H₂O
- Mohs hardness
- ~2
- Density
- 2.24 g/cm³
- Colors
- Streak
- White
- Luster
- Vitreous
- Transparency
- Transparent
- Crystal system
- Monoclinic
- Crystal habit
- Platy crystals, fibrous aggregates
- Cleavage
- Perfect on {010}; poor on {100} and {001}
- Rarity
- Rare
- Uses
- Collector
- Host rock
- On a museum micromount specimen presumably from a trap-rock quarry (Haledon, New Jersey, USA); in recent lake-bed sediments (La Cruz Lake, Spain)
Where rockhounds find canaphite
Classic worldwide localities
- La Cruz Lake, Cuenca Province, Spain
Field-hunting tip
Where it forms: On a museum micromount specimen presumably from a trap-rock quarry (Haledon, New Jersey, USA); in recent lake-bed sediments (La Cruz Lake, Spain). If you start seeing stilbite, quartz in float, you are in the right ground. Typical habit: platy crystals, fibrous aggregates. Train your eye for that shape before scanning the outcrop.
Common questions
How do you identify canaphite?+
Where is canaphite found?+
What rocks look like canaphite?+
What minerals are found with canaphite?+
What kind of rock does canaphite form in?+
What is canaphite used for?+
Find canaphite on the map
RockHoundR shows mapped rockhounding spots, access rules, and lets you log every find.
