Triphylite
Triphylite is a lithium iron(II) phosphate mineral with the chemical formula LiFePO4. It is a member of the triphylite group and forms a complete solid solution series with the lithium manganese(II) phosphate, lithiophilite. Triphylite crystallizes in the orthorhombic crystal system. It rarely forms prismatic crystals and is more frequently found in hypidiomorphic rock. It is bluish- to greenish-gray in color, but upon alteration becomes brown to black.
Triphylite crystal in matrix, collected from Smith Quarry (Chandler Mills Quarry), Newport, New Hampshire 43°21′28″N 72°15′8″W | |
| General | |
|---|---|
| Category | Phosphate minerals |
| Formula (repeating unit) | LiFePO4 |
| IMA symbol | Trp |
| Strunz classification | 8.AB.10 |
| Crystal system | Orthorhombic |
| Crystal class | Dipyramidal (mmm) H-M symbol: (2/m 2/m 2/m) |
| Space group | Pmnb |
| Unit cell | a = 6.0285(6) Å, b = 10.3586(9) Å, c = 4.7031(3) Å, Z = 4 |
| Identification | |
| Color | Green–blue gray, brown–black |
| Crystal habit | Massive, granular, prismatic |
| Cleavage | {100} perfect, {010} imperfect, {011} poor |
| Fracture | Uneven–subconchoidal |
| Mohs scale hardness | 4–5 |
| Luster | Vitreous–subresinous |
| Streak | White–grayish white |
| Diaphaneity | Transparent–translucent |
| Optical properties | Biaxial (+), 2V = 0°–65° |
| Refractive index | nα=1.675–1.694, nβ=1.684–1.695, nγ=1.685–1.700 |
| Birefringence | δ =0.0060–0.0080 |
| References | |
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