Varulite is a rare phosphate mineral primarily found in complex granitic pegmatites. It typically occurs as massive or granular material, often showing an olive-green color that can weather to brown or yellow hues.
Is this varulite?
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 varulite with a known reference. Varulite 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: greenish white.
- 3Read the lusterHold the specimen under a strong light. Luster: vitreous.
- 4Match the color rangeCompare against the expected color range: yellow green, olive green.
- 5Look at form & habitCrystal system: monoclinic. Typical habit: massive.
Often confused with
Varulite vs. its common look-alikes, and how to tell them apart in the field.
How to tell apart: Streak differs, so Varulite leaves greenish white, Fillowite leaves white; luster reads vitreous on Varulite and subresinous to greasy on Fillowite.
How to tell apart: Streak differs, so Varulite leaves greenish white, Triphylite leaves white to grayish white.
Often found alongside varulite
Minerals reported to co-occur with varulite. Spotting these in float or country rock is a strong cue you are in the right ground.
All properties
- Chemical formula
- NaMn²⁺(Mn²⁺,Fe²⁺)₂PO₄
- Mohs hardness
- 5
- Density
- 3.5-3.6 g/cm³
- Colors
- Streak
- Greenish white
- Luster
- Vitreous
- Transparency
- Semitransparent
- Crystal system
- Monoclinic
- Crystal habit
- Massive
- Cleavage
- Good on {100}; distinct on {010}
- Rarity
- Rare
- Uses
- Collector
- Host rock
- In complex granite pegmatites, either as a primary mineral or an alteration product of triphylite–lithiophilite; as nodules in shale
Where rockhounds find varulite
Classic worldwide localities
- Varuträsk pegmatite, 15 km northwest of Skellefteå, Västerbotten, and from Skrumpetorp, Östergötland, Sweden
- Hunnakko and Kaatiala, near Kuertane, Finland
- Mangualde pegmatite, near Mesquitela, Portugal
- Found in the Big Fish River and Boundary Creek areas, Yukon Territory, Canada
Field-hunting tip
Where it forms: In complex granite pegmatites, either as a primary mineral or an alteration product of triphylite–lithiophilite; as nodules in shale. If you start seeing alluaudite in float, you are in the right ground. Typical habit: massive. Train your eye for that shape before scanning the outcrop.
Common questions
How do you identify varulite?+
Where is varulite found?+
What rocks look like varulite?+
What minerals are found with varulite?+
What kind of rock does varulite form in?+
What is varulite used for?+
Find varulite on the map
RockHoundR shows mapped rockhounding spots, access rules, and lets you log every find.
