Parascholzite is a very rare phosphate mineral that is a polymorph of hopeite. It typically occurs as small, colorless to white tabular crystals found in complex granite pegmatite deposits associated with other secondary phosphate minerals.
Is this parascholzite?
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 parascholzite with a known reference. Parascholzite sits at Mohs ~4, 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: colorless, white.
- 5Look at form & habitCrystal system: monoclinic. Typical habit: prismatic, tabular.
Often confused with
Parascholzite vs. its common look-alikes, and how to tell them apart in the field.
Often found alongside parascholzite
Minerals reported to co-occur with parascholzite. Spotting these in float or country rock is a strong cue you are in the right ground.
All properties
- Chemical formula
- CaZn₂(PO₄)₂·2H₂O
- Mohs hardness
- ~4
- Density
- 3.12 g/cm³
- Streak
- White
- Luster
- Vitreous
- Transparency
- Semitransparent
- Crystal system
- Monoclinic
- Crystal habit
- Prismatic, tabular
- Cleavage
- The composition plane of polysynthetic twins is a parting surface
- Rarity
- Rare
- Uses
- Collector
- Host rock
- A secondary mineral produced by alteration of primary phosphates in complex granite pegmatites
Where rockhounds find parascholzite
Classic worldwide localities
- Tip Top mine, 8.5 km southwest of Custer, Custer Co., South Dakota, USA
- Hagendorf, Bavaria, Germany
- Kabwe (Broken Hill), Zambia
- Reaphook Hill, near Blinman, Flinders Ranges, South Australia
Field-hunting tip
Where it forms: A secondary mineral produced by alteration of primary phosphates in complex granite pegmatites. If you start seeing scholzite, vivianite, phosphophyllite in float, you are in the right ground. Typical habit: prismatic, tabular. Train your eye for that shape before scanning the outcrop.
Common questions
How do you identify parascholzite?+
Where is parascholzite found?+
What rocks look like parascholzite?+
What minerals are found with parascholzite?+
What kind of rock does parascholzite form in?+
What is parascholzite used for?+
Find parascholzite on the map
RockHoundR shows mapped rockhounding spots, access rules, and lets you log every find.
