Väyrynenite is a rare phosphate mineral highly prized by collectors for its attractive pink to salmon coloration. It is primarily found in granite pegmatites and is often associated with other beryllium-bearing minerals like beryl.

Hardness

Mohs

Luster

Vitreous

Streak

White

Transparency

Transparent to translucent

mineralrare

Väyrynenite

Hardness: 5
Luster: Vitreous
Streak: White
Transparency: Transparent to translucent

Is this väyrynenite?

5-step field check

Run through these checks against the specimen in your hand. The more boxes tick, the more confident the ID.

1
Test the hardness
Try to scratch väyrynenite with a known reference. Väyrynenite sits at Mohs 5, softer than the next harder reference, harder than the previous one.
2
Check the streak
Drag the specimen across an unglazed porcelain plate. Streak: white.
3
Read the luster
Hold the specimen under a strong light. Luster: vitreous.
4
Match the color range
Compare against the expected color range: pink, rose red.
5
Look at form & habit
Crystal system: monoclinic. Typical habit: prismatic crystals, often striated or massive.

Often confused with

Väyrynenite vs. its common look-alikes, and how to tell them apart in the field.

mineral

Topaz

Mohs 8

How to tell apart: Topaz is the harder of the two (Mohs 8 vs. 5).

Often found alongside väyrynenite

Minerals reported to co-occur with väyrynenite. Spotting these in float or country rock is a strong cue you are in the right ground.

All properties

Chemical formula: MnBe(PO₄)(OH)
Mohs hardness: 5
Density: 3.22 g/cm³
Colors: Pink Rose red
Streak: White
Luster: Vitreous
Transparency: Transparent to translucent
Crystal system: Monoclinic
Crystal habit: Prismatic crystals, often striated or massive
Cleavage: {010}, perfect; {100}, good; {001}, fair
Rarity: Rare
Uses: Collector, Gemstone
Host rock: An alteration product of beryl and triphylite in complex zoned granite pegmatites

Where rockhounds find väyrynenite

Classic worldwide localities

Viitaniemi pegmatite, near Eräjärvi, Finland
Norrö pegmatite, on Rånö Island, and from near Kapelludden, Utö Island, Sweden
Bendada pegmatite, near Guarda, Portugal
Fregeneda pegmatite, Salamanca Province, Spain
Kalba Range, eastern Kazakhstan
Broghul Pass, Chitral Valley, Pakistan

Field-hunting tip

Where it forms: An alteration product of beryl and triphylite in complex zoned granite pegmatites. If you start seeing eosphorite, moraesite, hurlbutite in float, you are in the right ground. Typical habit: prismatic crystals, often striated or massive. Train your eye for that shape before scanning the outcrop.

Common questions

How do you identify väyrynenite?+

Mohs hardness is 5. Luster: vitreous. The streak is white. Common colors include pink, rose red.

Where is väyrynenite found?+

Notable localities include Viitaniemi pegmatite, near Eräjärvi, Finland; Norrö pegmatite, on Rånö Island, and from near Kapelludden, Utö Island, Sweden; Bendada pegmatite, near Guarda, Portugal; Fregeneda pegmatite, Salamanca Province, Spain; Kalba Range, eastern Kazakhstan.

Is väyrynenite safe to handle?+

Väyrynenite contains beryllium. Wash your hands afterwards, never grind or breathe the dust, and store it apart from specimens you handle often.

What rocks look like väyrynenite?+

Väyrynenite is most often confused with Topaz, Apatite, Amblygonite. A quick hardness test and a streak check separate the look-alikes faster than color alone.

What minerals are found with väyrynenite?+

Väyrynenite commonly co-occurs with Eosphorite, Moraesite, Hurlbutite, Beryllonite, Amblygonite, Apatite. Spotting any of these in float or country rock is a useful trip signal.

What kind of rock does väyrynenite form in?+

Where it forms: An alteration product of beryl and triphylite in complex zoned granite pegmatites. Working float back to the host body is the standard way to chase a fresh occurrence.

What is väyrynenite used for?+

Väyrynenite is used in collector, gemstone.

Find väyrynenite on the map

RockHoundR shows mapped rockhounding spots, access rules, and lets you log every find.