Simferite is a rare phosphate mineral characterized by its distinctive brown to reddish-brown hues and orthorhombic crystal structure. Collectors typically find it as rare prismatic or tabular crystals within specific granite pegmatite occurrences.
Is this simferite?
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 simferite with a known reference. Simferite sits at Mohs 5, softer than the next harder reference, harder than the previous one.
- 2Check the streakDrag the specimen across an unglazed porcelain plate. Streak: cinnamon-brown.
- 3Read the lusterHold the specimen under a strong light. Luster: vitreous to greasy.
- 4Match the color rangeCompare against the expected color range: dark red.
- 5Look at form & habitCrystal system: orthorhombic. Typical habit: aggregates.
Often confused with
Simferite vs. its common look-alikes, and how to tell them apart in the field.
Often found alongside simferite
Minerals reported to co-occur with simferite. Spotting these in float or country rock is a strong cue you are in the right ground.
All properties
- Chemical formula
- LiMg(PO₄)
- Mohs hardness
- 5
- Density
- 3.22-3.27 g/cm³
- Colors
- Streak
- Cinnamon-brown
- Luster
- Vitreous to greasy
- Transparency
- Semitransparent
- Crystal system
- Orthorhombic
- Crystal habit
- Aggregates
- Cleavage
- Prominent on {010}, poor on {100}, intersecting at 87-90°
- Rarity
- Rare
- Uses
- Collector
- Host rock
- At the contact of a rare-earth-bearing granite pegmatite and phlogopitized ultramafic tremolite rock
Where rockhounds find simferite
Classic worldwide localities
- Radionovskoye pegmatite field, middle Berda River, Zaporozhe district, Ukraine
Field-hunting tip
Where it forms: At the contact of a rare-earth-bearing granite pegmatite and phlogopitized ultramafic tremolite rock. If you start seeing muscovite, quartz, oligoclase in float, you are in the right ground. Typical habit: aggregates. Train your eye for that shape before scanning the outcrop.
Common questions
How do you identify simferite?+
Where is simferite found?+
What rocks look like simferite?+
What minerals are found with simferite?+
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What is simferite used for?+
Find simferite on the map
RockHoundR shows mapped rockhounding spots, access rules, and lets you log every find.
