Griphite is a complex phosphate mineral found primarily in granite pegmatites. It typically appears as massive, brownish-yellow aggregates, making it difficult to distinguish from other phosphate minerals without chemical analysis.
Is this griphite?
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 griphite with a known reference. Griphite sits at Mohs 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: resinous to vitreous.
- 4Match the color rangeCompare against the expected color range: brownish black, yellow, dark brown.
- 5Look at form & habitCrystal system: cubic. Typical habit: amorphous, reniform.
Often confused with
Griphite vs. its common look-alikes, and how to tell them apart in the field.
How to tell apart: Luster reads resinous to vitreous on Griphite and vitreous to greasy, pearly on good cleavages on Amblygonite.
How to tell apart: Luster reads resinous to vitreous on Griphite and vitreous to resinous on Triplite.
How to tell apart: Griphite is noticeably harder (Mohs 5.5 vs. 3.5-4); luster reads resinous to vitreous on Griphite and vitreous to subresinous on Phosphosiderite.
Often found alongside griphite
Minerals reported to co-occur with griphite. Spotting these in float or country rock is a strong cue you are in the right ground.
All properties
- Chemical formula
- Ca(Mn,Na,Li)₆FeAl₂(PO₄)₆(F,OH)₂
- Mohs hardness
- 5.5
- Density
- 3.40-3.64 g/cm³
- Streak
- White
- Luster
- Resinous to vitreous
- Transparency
- Transparent to translucent
- Crystal system
- Cubic
- Crystal habit
- Amorphous, reniform
- Cleavage
- None
- Rarity
- Rare
- Uses
- Collector
- Host rock
- An accessory mineral in complex granite pegmatites
Where rockhounds find griphite
Classic worldwide localities
- Mt. Ida, about 160 km northwest of Alice Springs, Northern Territory, Australia
- Jaffit pegmatite, Kamativu, Zimbabwe
- Buranga pegmatite, near Gatumba, Rwanda
- A pegmatite near Rehamna, Morocco
- Mas Claret, in the Albères massif, Pyrénées-Orientales, France
Field-hunting tip
Where it forms: An accessory mineral in complex granite pegmatites. If you start seeing crandallite, apatite, montebrasite in float, you are in the right ground. Typical habit: amorphous, reniform. Train your eye for that shape before scanning the outcrop.
Common questions
How do you identify griphite?+
Where is griphite found?+
Is griphite safe to handle?+
What rocks look like griphite?+
What minerals are found with griphite?+
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Find griphite on the map
RockHoundR shows mapped rockhounding spots, access rules, and lets you log every find.
