Heneuite is a rare phosphate mineral typically found as small, thin, transparent tabular crystals. It is most often collected by advanced mineralogists who focus on rare phosphates and minerals from specific pegmatite localities.
Is this heneuite?
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 heneuite with a known reference. Heneuite 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: vitreous.
- 4Match the color rangeCompare against the expected color range: bluish violet, light blue green.
- 5Look at form & habitCrystal system: triclinic. Typical habit: tabular crystals, sometimes in radiating aggregates.
Often confused with
Heneuite vs. its common look-alikes, and how to tell them apart in the field.
Often found alongside heneuite
Minerals reported to co-occur with heneuite. Spotting these in float or country rock is a strong cue you are in the right ground.
All properties
- Chemical formula
- CaMg₅(PO₄)₃(CO₃)(OH)
- Mohs hardness
- 5.5
- Density
- 3.016 g/cm³
- Colors
- Bluish violetLight blue green
- Streak
- White
- Luster
- Vitreous
- Transparency
- Transparent to translucent
- Crystal system
- Triclinic
- Crystal habit
- Tabular crystals, sometimes in radiating aggregates
- Cleavage
- Good on {001}
- Rarity
- Rare
- Uses
- Collector
- Host rock
- In a serpentine–magnesite deposit developed in a regional metamorphic terrain
Where rockhounds find heneuite
Classic worldwide localities
- Tingelstadtjern quarry, Modum, Norway
Field-hunting tip
Where it forms: In a serpentine–magnesite deposit developed in a regional metamorphic terrain. If you start seeing althausite, apatite, magnesite in float, you are in the right ground. Typical habit: tabular crystals, sometimes in radiating aggregates. Train your eye for that shape before scanning the outcrop.
Common questions
How do you identify heneuite?+
Where is heneuite found?+
What rocks look like heneuite?+
What minerals are found with heneuite?+
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Find heneuite on the map
RockHoundR shows mapped rockhounding spots, access rules, and lets you log every find.
