Rhabdophane-(Ce) is a rare-earth phosphate mineral typically found as earthy, botryoidal coatings or crusts on other minerals. It is often a secondary mineral resulting from the alteration of primary rare-earth minerals like monazite, and is frequently found in weathered phosphate-rich environments.
Is this rhabdophane-(ce)?
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 rhabdophane-(ce) with a known reference. Rhabdophane-(Ce) 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. Streak: white.
- 3Read the lusterHold the specimen under a strong light. Luster: greasy to dull.
- 4Match the color rangeCompare against the expected color range: white, brownish white, yellowish white, pinkish white.
- 5Look at form & habitCrystal system: hexagonal. Typical habit: encrustations, mammillary, massive.
Often confused with
Rhabdophane-(Ce) vs. its common look-alikes, and how to tell them apart in the field.
How to tell apart: Monazite is the harder of the two (Mohs 5-5.5 vs. 3-3.5); luster reads greasy to dull on Rhabdophane-(Ce) and resinous on Monazite.
How to tell apart: Luster reads greasy to dull on Rhabdophane-(Ce) and vitreous, pearly on cleavages on Churchite-(Y).
Often found alongside rhabdophane-(ce)
Minerals reported to co-occur with rhabdophane-(ce). Spotting these in float or country rock is a strong cue you are in the right ground.
All properties
- Chemical formula
- CePO₄·H₂O
- Mohs hardness
- 3-3.5
- Density
- 3.77-4.01 g/cm³
- Streak
- White
- Luster
- Greasy to dull
- Transparency
- Translucent
- Crystal system
- Hexagonal
- Crystal habit
- Encrustations, mammillary, massive
- Cleavage
- None
- Rarity
- Uncommon
- Uses
- Collector
- Host rock
- A very rare mineral in some hydrothermal ore deposits
Where rockhounds find rhabdophane-(ce)
Classic worldwide localities
- Iron Hill, Powderhorn district, Gunnison Co., Colorado, and in the Majuba Hill mine, Antelope district, Pershing Co., Nevada, USA
- Clara mine, near Oberwolfach, Black Forest, Germany
- Waldstein, Fichtelgebirge, Bavaria, Germany
- Krufter Ofen volcano, Eifel district, Germany
- Ilímaussaq intrusion, Greenland
- Mont Saint-Hilaire and from near Saint-Amable, Quebec, Canada
Field-hunting tip
Where it forms: A very rare mineral in some hydrothermal ore deposits. If you start seeing sphalerite, barite, fluorite in float, you are in the right ground. Typical habit: encrustations, mammillary, massive. Train your eye for that shape before scanning the outcrop.
Common questions
How do you identify rhabdophane-(ce)?+
Where is rhabdophane-(ce) found?+
Is rhabdophane-(ce) safe to handle?+
What rocks look like rhabdophane-(ce)?+
What minerals are found with rhabdophane-(ce)?+
What kind of rock does rhabdophane-(ce) form in?+
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Find rhabdophane-(ce) on the map
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