Zodacite is a rare phosphate mineral typically found as small, straw-yellow acicular crystals or radial sprays within phosphate-rich pegmatites. Collectors look for its distinctive yellow hue and radiating habit, usually associated with other rare secondary phosphates in vugs.
Is this zodacite?
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 zodacite with a known reference. Zodacite 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: pale yellow to white.
- 3Read the lusterHold the specimen under a strong light. Luster: vitreous.
- 4Match the color rangeCompare against the expected color range: light yellow, medium yellow, colorless.
- 5Look at form & habitCrystal system: monoclinic. Typical habit: radial.
Often confused with
Zodacite vs. its common look-alikes, and how to tell them apart in the field.
How to tell apart: Childrenite is the harder of the two (Mohs 5 vs. ~4); streak differs, so Zodacite leaves pale yellow to white, Childrenite leaves white.
How to tell apart: Eosphorite is the harder of the two (Mohs 5 vs. ~4); streak differs, so Zodacite leaves pale yellow to white, Eosphorite leaves white.
Often found alongside zodacite
Minerals reported to co-occur with zodacite. Spotting these in float or country rock is a strong cue you are in the right ground.
All properties
- Chemical formula
- Ca₄MnFe₄(PO₄)₆(OH)₄·12H₂O
- Mohs hardness
- ~4
- Density
- 2.68 g/cm³
- Colors
- Streak
- Pale yellow to white
- Luster
- Vitreous
- Transparency
- Semitransparent
- Crystal system
- Monoclinic
- Crystal habit
- Radial
- Cleavage
- On {010} (by analogy to montgomeryite)
- Rarity
- Rare
- Uses
- Collector
- Host rock
- Initially found on a museum specimen from a complex zoned granite pegmatite
Where rockhounds find zodacite
Classic worldwide localities
- Mangualde pegmatite, near Mesquitela, Portugal
Field-hunting tip
Where it forms: Initially found on a museum specimen from a complex zoned granite pegmatite. If you start seeing jahnsite-, huréaulite, phosphosiderite in float, you are in the right ground. Typical habit: radial. Train your eye for that shape before scanning the outcrop.
Common questions
How do you identify zodacite?+
Where is zodacite found?+
What rocks look like zodacite?+
What minerals are found with zodacite?+
What kind of rock does zodacite form in?+
What is zodacite used for?+
Find zodacite on the map
RockHoundR shows mapped rockhounding spots, access rules, and lets you log every find.
