Whitlockit

Structural context

Whitlockite
Crystal System trigonalCrystal Class ditrigonal pyramidalSpace Group R3c

Chemical context

Stoichiometric formulas

Whitlockite
mindat.org
  • March 13, 2023Ca9Mg(PO4)6(PO3OH)The given IMA formula (not editable here) for whitlockite shows the monofluorophosphate (PO3F)2- ion rather than hydroxylated phosphate (PO3OH)2- ion. The latter anionic group is correct; the former, attributed to the now-discredited whitlockite group mineral bobdownsite, was determined to be an analytical error.
IMA
  • March 13, 2023Ca9Mg(PO3OH)(PO4)6
mineralogy.rocks
  • Aug. 30, 2022Ca9Mg(PO4)6(HPO4)

Physical properties

ColorColor entities, recognized using a custom trained NER model
  • colourless
  • colourless
  • grey-white
  • light pink
  • light yellow
Color noteOriginal color note from the source
Colourless, grey-white, light pink, light yellow; colourless in transmitted light.
Lustre
Vitreous
Resinous
Fracture
Irregular/Uneven
Sub-Conchoidal
Transparency
Transparent
Translucent
Tenacity
brittle
Hardness
5
Calculated density
3.102