Wagnerite is a rare phosphate mineral often found in granitic pegmatites and metamorphosed rocks. It typically forms translucent to transparent, short prismatic crystals that can be difficult to distinguish from common phosphate minerals like apatite without chemical testing.
Is this wagnerite?
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 wagnerite with a known reference. Wagnerite sits at Mohs 5-5.5, 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: vitreous to slightly resinous.
- 4Match the color rangeCompare against the expected color range: yellow, greenish, gray white, grayish, reddish brown.
- 5Look at form & habitCrystal system: monoclinic. Typical habit: massive, striated.
Often confused with
Wagnerite vs. its common look-alikes, and how to tell them apart in the field.
Often found alongside wagnerite
Minerals reported to co-occur with wagnerite. Spotting these in float or country rock is a strong cue you are in the right ground.
All properties
- Chemical formula
- Mg₂PO₄F
- Mohs hardness
- 5-5.5
- Density
- 3.15 g/cm³
- Streak
- White
- Luster
- Vitreous to slightly resinous
- Transparency
- Translucent to nearly opaque
- Crystal system
- Monoclinic
- Crystal habit
- Massive, striated
- Cleavage
- On {100}, {120}, imperfect; on {001}, interrupted
- Rarity
- Rare
- Uses
- Collector, Research
- Host rock
- A rare accessory mineral in metamorphic rocks of moderate to high grade; uncommon in pegmatites
Where rockhounds find wagnerite
Classic worldwide localities
- Santa Fe Mountain, near Idaho Springs, Clear Creek Co., Colorado, USA
- Dome Rock Mountains, Yuma Co., Arizona, USA
- Salzburg, from Höllgraben, Färbergraben, Radelgraben, and Schladming-graben, near Werfen, and Bischofshofen, and from Webing, near Abtenau, Austria
- Silberberg mine, Bodenmais, Bavaria, Germany
- Nickenicher Sattel and Bellerberg volcanoes, Eifel district, Germany
- Zechstein salt deposit, Hannover, Lower Saxony, Germany
Field-hunting tip
Where it forms: A rare accessory mineral in metamorphic rocks of moderate to high grade; uncommon in pegmatites. If you start seeing lazulite, ferroan magnesite, chlorite in float, you are in the right ground. Typical habit: massive, striated. Train your eye for that shape before scanning the outcrop.
Common questions
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Find wagnerite on the map
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