Churchite-(Y) is a rare hydrated yttrium phosphate mineral that typically forms delicate, needle-like crystals or powdery coatings. Collectors look for its distinctive radiating clusters, most commonly found in association with secondary phosphate minerals in weathered ore deposits.
Is this churchite-(y)?
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 churchite-(y) with a known reference. Churchite-(Y) sits at Mohs 3, 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, pearly on cleavages.
- 4Match the color rangeCompare against the expected color range: colorless, gray, snow white.
- 5Look at form & habitCrystal system: monoclinic. Typical habit: acicular, aggregates, platy.
Often confused with
Churchite-(Y) vs. its common look-alikes, and how to tell them apart in the field.
How to tell apart: Churchite-(Y) is noticeably harder (Mohs 3 vs. 1.5-2); luster reads vitreous, pearly on cleavages on Churchite-(Y) and subvitreous, pearly on {010} cleavages, silky if fibrous on Gypsum.
How to tell apart: Churchite-(Y) is noticeably harder (Mohs 3 vs. 1.5-2).
Often found alongside churchite-(y)
Minerals reported to co-occur with churchite-(y). Spotting these in float or country rock is a strong cue you are in the right ground.
All properties
- Chemical formula
- Y(PO₄)·2H₂O
- Mohs hardness
- 3
- Density
- 3.26 g/cm³
- Colors
- Streak
- White
- Luster
- Vitreous, pearly on cleavages
- Transparency
- Transparent
- Crystal system
- Monoclinic
- Crystal habit
- Acicular, aggregates, platy
- Cleavage
- On {001}, perfect; on {010} and {100}, less perfect
- Rarity
- Rare
- Uses
- Collector
- Host rock
- Locally abundant; typically derived from meteoric waters, with yttrium weathered or biochemically leached from trace amounts in surrounding rocks or soil, deposited on colloidal Fe–Mn oxides
Where rockhounds find churchite-(y)
Classic worldwide localities
- Kelly Bank mine, east of Vesuvius, Rockbridge Co., and at the Burley pegmatite, Amherst Co., Virginia, USA
- Girard, Burke Co., Georgia, USA
- Indian Mountain, Cherokee Co., Alabama, USA
- Found about one km south of Sausalito, Marin Co., California, USA
- Cornwall, at the Tretoil mine, Lanivet, near Bodmin, and at Wheal Pendarves, Camborne, England
- Nitzlbuch and Leonie mines, near Auerbach, Bavaria, Germany
Field-hunting tip
Where it forms: Locally abundant; typically derived from meteoric waters, with yttrium weathered or biochemically leached from trace amounts in surrounding rocks or soil, deposited on colloidal Fe–Mn oxides. If you start seeing florencite, rhabdophane, wavellite in float, you are in the right ground. Typical habit: acicular, aggregates, platy. Train your eye for that shape before scanning the outcrop.
Common questions
How do you identify churchite-(y)?+
Where is churchite-(y) found?+
What rocks look like churchite-(y)?+
What minerals are found with churchite-(y)?+
What kind of rock does churchite-(y) form in?+
What is churchite-(y) used for?+
Find churchite-(y) on the map
RockHoundR shows mapped rockhounding spots, access rules, and lets you log every find.
