Graftonite is a relatively rare phosphate mineral primarily found in granitic pegmatites. It is typically identified by its salmon-pink to brownish massive habit and association with other secondary phosphate minerals like triphylite.
Is this graftonite?
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 graftonite with a known reference. Graftonite sits at Mohs 5, softer than the next harder reference, harder than the previous one.
- 2Check the streakDrag the specimen across an unglazed porcelain plate. Streak: white to pale pink.
- 3Read the lusterHold the specimen under a strong light. Luster: vitreous towards resinous.
- 4Match the color rangeCompare against the expected color range: brown, pink, dark brown, reddish brown.
- 5Look at form & habitCrystal system: monoclinic. Typical habit: lamellar, massive.
Often confused with
Graftonite vs. its common look-alikes, and how to tell them apart in the field.
Often found alongside graftonite
Minerals reported to co-occur with graftonite. Spotting these in float or country rock is a strong cue you are in the right ground.
All properties
- Chemical formula
- FeFe₂(PO₄)₂
- Mohs hardness
- 5
- Density
- 3.67-3.79 g/cm³
- Streak
- White to pale pink
- Luster
- Vitreous towards resinous
- Transparency
- Semitransparent
- Crystal system
- Monoclinic
- Crystal habit
- Lamellar, massive
- Cleavage
- On {010}, good; on {100}, fair
- Rarity
- Rare
- Uses
- Collector
- Host rock
- A primary mineral or exsolution product in complex granite pegmatites
Where rockhounds find graftonite
Classic worldwide localities
- Melvin Mountain, about eight km west of Grafton, at the Palermo #1 and Rice mines, near North Groton, Grafton Co., at the Parker Mountain quarry, Center Strafford, Strafford Co., New Hampshire, USA
- Waisenen quarry, Greenwood, Oxford Co., Maine, USA
- Bull Moose mine, five km southeast of Custer, Custer Co., and at the Nickel Plate mine, 1.5 km south of Keystone, Pennington Co., South Dakota, USA
- São Luiz do Paraitinga, São Paulo, and the Énio pegmatite mine, northeast of Galiléia, Minas Gerais, Brazil
- Ranquel and Cacique Canchuleta mines, San Luis, Argentina
- Sidi Bou Othmane, Morocco
Field-hunting tip
Where it forms: A primary mineral or exsolution product in complex granite pegmatites. If you start seeing triphylite, lithiophilite, sarcopside in float, you are in the right ground. Typical habit: lamellar, massive. Train your eye for that shape before scanning the outcrop.
Common questions
How do you identify graftonite?+
Where is graftonite found?+
What rocks look like graftonite?+
What minerals are found with graftonite?+
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What is graftonite used for?+
Find graftonite on the map
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