THE MINERAL HEDYPHANE
- Chemistry: Pb3Ca2(AsO4)3Cl , Lead Calcium Arsenate Chloride.
- Class: Phosphates
- Subclass: Arsenates
- Group: Apatite
- Uses: As a very minor ore of lead and as mineral specimens.
- Specimens
Hedyphane is named from the Greek which is loosely translated as "pleasant appearance". It was first described from the famous
PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS:
- Color is typically white, gray, bluish or yellowish, but can also be red-violet and green.
- Luster is greasy to resinous.
- Transparency: Crystals are translucent to transparent.
- Crystal System is hexagonal; 6 2 2
- Crystal Habits include generally massive or granular habits.
- Cleavage is poor in several directions, but rarely seen.
- Fracture is uneven.
- Hardness is 4.5
- Specific Gravity is approximately 5.8 - 5.9 (rather heavy for translucent minerals)
- Streak is white.
- Associated Minerals are richterite,
aegirine,
hematite,
svabite andtilasite . - Other Characteristics: Index of refraction is 1.95 (typically high for lead minerals).
- Notable Occurrences include the type locality at Langban Mine, Filipstad, Varmland, Sweden and other Varmland mines.
- Best Field Indicators are crystal habit, density, luster, color and locality.
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