Phosphophyllite is a highly prized phosphate mineral, famous among collectors for its exquisite pale green color and complex twinning habits. Due to its extreme rarity and fragility, it is rarely found in jewelry and is almost exclusively sought by high-end mineral collectors.
Is this phosphophyllite?
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 phosphophyllite with a known reference. Phosphophyllite sits at Mohs 3-3.5 — softer than the next harder reference, harder than the previous one.
- 2Check the streakDrag the specimen across an unglazed porcelain plate. Phosphophyllite leaves a white streak.
- 3Read the lusterHold the specimen under a strong light. Phosphophyllite typically shows a vitreous luster.
- 4Match the color rangeCompare against the expected color range: colorless, pale green, bluish green.
- 5Look at form & habitCrystal system: monoclinic. Typical habit: tabular crystals, twinned heart-shaped aggregates.
Often confused with
Phosphophyllite vs. its common look-alikes — and how to tell them apart in the field.
Often found alongside phosphophyllite
Minerals reported to co-occur with phosphophyllite. Spotting these in float or country rock is a strong cue you are in the right ground.
All properties
- Chemical formula
- Zn₂Fe(PO₄)₂·4H₂O
- Mohs hardness
- 3-3.5
- Density
- 3.1 g/cm³
- Streak
- White
- Luster
- Vitreous
- Transparency
- Transparent
- Crystal system
- Monoclinic
- Crystal habit
- Tabular Crystals, Twinned Heart-shaped Aggregates
- Cleavage
- Perfect On {100}, Distinct On {010}
- Rarity
- Rare
- Uses
- Collector, Gemstone
- Host rock
- Hydrothermal Veins in Tin Deposits, Granite Pegmatites
- Typical price
- $500-5000+ per gram for high-quality facet grade material
Where rockhounds find phosphophyllite
Classic worldwide localities
- Cerro Rico, Potosi, Bolivia
- Hagendorf, Germany
- New Hampshire, USA
Field-hunting tip
Look in hydrothermal veins in tin deposits, granite pegmatites country — that is the host setting where phosphophyllite typically forms. If you start seeing vivianite, triphylite, apatite in float, you are in the right ground. Field specimens usually show a tabular crystals, twinned heart-shaped aggregates habit, so train your eye for that shape before scanning the outcrop.
Common questions
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Find phosphophyllite on the map
RockHoundR shows mapped rockhounding spots, access rules, and lets you log every find.
