Nevadaite

Nevadaite is a rare phosphate mineral with a chemical formula^[3] of

Cu2Zn0.02V3+0.98Al1.15Al8P7.9O32F8.37(OH)1.63(H2O)21.65

Nevadaite
Nevadaite - radial habit. Attribution: Leon Hupperichs
General
Category	Phosphate minerals
Formula	see text
IMA symbol	Nev[1]
Strunz classification	8.DC.60
Crystal system	Orthorhombic
Crystal class	Disphenoidal (222) H-M symbol: (222)
Space group	P21mn
Unit cell	a = 12.123 Å b = 18.999 Å c = 4.961 Å; Z = 1
Identification
Color	Pale Green, turquoise
Crystal habit	Acicular, crystalline, radial
Cleavage	None
Fracture	Conchoidal
Mohs scale hardness	3
Luster	Vitreous
Streak	pale blue
Diaphaneity	Translucent
Specific gravity	2.54
Optical properties	Biaxial (-)
References	[2]

Characteristics

Nevadaite is a pale-green to turquoise colored mineral belonging to the phosphate group. It exhibits a radial crystal habit consisting of prismatic crystals covering areas up to 2 cm. It has a pale-blue streak, a vitreous luster, and is not fluorescent. Nevadaite is in the orthorhombic crystal system and displays conchoidal fracture.^[2]

Location

Hazy aerial view of Gold Quarry mine

Nevadaite was first discovered in the Gold Quarry mine near the town of Carlin, Eureka County, Nevada.^[4] The unique conditions and amounts of phosphate, vanadate, arsenate, and uranate in this area led to the formation of two new minerals; one being nevadaite and the other being goldquarryite. The Gold Quarry mine has been operated by The Newmont Mining Corporation since 1985 for the extraction of Carlin-type gold deposits.^[3]

Nevadaite was discovered in February 1992 by Martin C. Jensen and was approved by the International Mineralogical Association in 2002.^[3] It is also found in a copper mine in Kyrgyzstan.