Kryzhanovskite is a rare manganese iron phosphate mineral typically found as a secondary alteration product in phosphate-rich granite pegmatites. It usually occurs as small, brownish-red tabular crystals or fine-grained masses closely associated with other phosphate minerals. Collectors prize it as a representative species of late-stage hydrothermal pegmatite mineralization.
Is this kryzhanovskite?
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 kryzhanovskite with a known reference. Kryzhanovskite sits at Mohs 3.5-4, softer than the next harder reference, harder than the previous one.
- 2Check the streakDrag the specimen across an unglazed porcelain plate. Streak: yellowish brown.
- 3Read the lusterHold the specimen under a strong light. Luster: vitreous to dull.
- 4Match the color rangeCompare against the expected color range: bronze, greenish brown, dark reddish brown, reddish brown.
- 5Look at form & habitCrystal system: orthorhombic. Typical habit: prismatic.
Often confused with
Kryzhanovskite vs. its common look-alikes, and how to tell them apart in the field.
How to tell apart: Streak differs, so Kryzhanovskite leaves yellowish brown, Fairfieldite leaves white; luster reads vitreous to dull on Kryzhanovskite and pearly to subadamantine, vitreous on the {001} cleavage on Fairfieldite.
How to tell apart: Triplite is the harder of the two (Mohs 5-5.5 vs. 3.5-4); streak differs, so Kryzhanovskite leaves yellowish brown, Triplite leaves white to brown.
Often found alongside kryzhanovskite
Minerals reported to co-occur with kryzhanovskite. Spotting these in float or country rock is a strong cue you are in the right ground.
All properties
- Chemical formula
- Mn³⁺Fe³⁺₂(PO₄)₂(OH)₂
- Mohs hardness
- 3.5-4
- Density
- 3.31 g/cm³
- Streak
- Yellowish brown
- Luster
- Vitreous to dull
- Transparency
- Translucent
- Crystal system
- Orthorhombic
- Crystal habit
- Prismatic
- Cleavage
- Perfect on {001}
- Rarity
- Rare
- Uses
- Collector, Scientific research
- Host rock
- A rare low-temperature oxidation product of phosphate minerals in complex granite pegmatites and iron formations
Where rockhounds find kryzhanovskite
Classic worldwide localities
- Bull Moose, Dan Patch, and Ferguson mines, near Keystone, and the Big Chief mine, one km south of Glendale, Pennington Co., South Dakota, USA
- Tip Top mine, 8.5 km southwest of Custer, Custer Co., South Dakota, USA
- Palermo #1 mine, near North Groton, Grafton Co., New Hampshire, USA
- Clementine II pegmatite, Okatjimukuju farm, near Karibib, Namibia
- East side of Rapid Creek, one km north of Lake Creek, Yukon Territory, Canada
- Hagendorf, Bavaria, Germany
Field-hunting tip
Where it forms: A rare low-temperature oxidation product of phosphate minerals in complex granite pegmatites and iron formations. If you start seeing sicklerite, triphylite, ferrisicklerite in float, you are in the right ground. Typical habit: prismatic. Train your eye for that shape before scanning the outcrop.
Common questions
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What rocks look like kryzhanovskite?+
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Find kryzhanovskite on the map
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