Wakefieldite-(La) is a rare lanthanum vanadate mineral typically found as small, prismatic crystals within granite pegmatites. Collectors look for its characteristic tetragonal habit, often associated with other rare-earth minerals and quartz in altered zones of pegmatitic bodies.
Is this wakefieldite-(la)?
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 wakefieldite-(la) with a known reference. Wakefieldite-(La) sits at Mohs ~4, 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: adamantine.
- 4Match the color rangeCompare against the expected color range: light pink, brown.
- 5Look at form & habitCrystal system: tetragonal. Typical habit: prismatic.
Often confused with
Wakefieldite-(La) vs. its common look-alikes, and how to tell them apart in the field.
How to tell apart: Zircon is the harder of the two (Mohs 7.5 vs. ~4); luster reads adamantine on Wakefieldite-(La) and vitreous to adamantine; greasy when metamict on Zircon.
How to tell apart: Luster reads adamantine on Wakefieldite-(La) and vitreous on Chernovite-(Y).
How to tell apart: Luster reads adamantine on Wakefieldite-(La) and vitreous to resinous on Xenotime-(Y).
Often found alongside wakefieldite-(la)
Minerals reported to co-occur with wakefieldite-(la). Spotting these in float or country rock is a strong cue you are in the right ground.
All properties
- Chemical formula
- La(VO₄)
- Mohs hardness
- ~4
- Density
- 4.727 g/cm³
- Colors
- Streak
- White
- Luster
- Adamantine
- Transparency
- Transparent to translucent
- Crystal system
- Tetragonal
- Crystal habit
- Prismatic
- Cleavage
- None observed; possible {100} inferred from X-ray study
- Rarity
- Rare
- Uses
- Collector
- Host rock
- A low temperature mineral in a hydrothermal barite vein
Where rockhounds find wakefieldite-(la)
Classic worldwide localities
- Glücksstern Mine, near the Gottlob quarry, Gottlob hill, Friedrichroda, Thuringia, Germany
Field-hunting tip
Where it forms: A low temperature mineral in a hydrothermal barite vein. If you start seeing hausmannite, barite, gottlobite in float, you are in the right ground. Typical habit: prismatic. Train your eye for that shape before scanning the outcrop.
Common questions
How do you identify wakefieldite-(la)?+
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What rocks look like wakefieldite-(la)?+
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Find wakefieldite-(la) on the map
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