THE MINERAL WHITLOCKITE

Chemistry: Ca₉(Mg, Fe)(PO₄)₆PO₃OH, Calcium Magnesium Iron Phosphate Hydroxide.
Class: Phosphates
Uses: Only as mineral specimens.
Specimens

Whitlockite is a rare phosphate mineral. It was first discovered at the famous phosphate locality - the Palermo Mine, North Groton, Grafton Co., New Hampshire. It can form small, but distinct and well formed crystals.

PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS:

Color is gray, yellowish, white or colorless.
Luster is vitreous.
Transparency: specimens are transparent to translucent.
Crystal System: is trigonal; 3 m
Crystal Habits include rhombohedral and tabular crystals.
Cleavage is absent.
Fracture is uneven.
Hardness is 5.
Specific Gravity is approximately 3.1 (average for translucent minerals)
Streak is white.
Associated Minerals include calcite, montgomeryite, mitridatite, luecophosphite and other phosphate minerals.
Notable Occurrences include the type locality of Palermo Mine, North Groton, Grafton Co., New Hampshire, USA as well as Rapid Springs, Yukon, Canada; Spring Creek mine, Flinders Range, Australia and the Tip Top Pegmatite, Custer Co., South Dakota, USA.
Best Field Indicators: crystal habit, hardness, color and localities.