| | | Click on a letter aboveto view the list of gems. | | | | | | Phosphophyllite
Current inventory: 3 gems
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Phosphophyllite is named in allusion to its composition, being a phosphate, and structure, from the Greek word phyllos for leaf, referring to its perfect cleavage.
| | Discovered in 1920; IMA status: Valid (pre-IMA; Grandfathered). | | |
| Chemistry | | | | Chemical Formula: | Zn2Fe(PO4)2 4(H2O) Note: material from Bolivia lacks Manganese (Mn) | | | Hydrated Zinc Iron Phosphate | Molecular Weight: | 448.40 gm | Composition: | Manganese | 3.06% | Mn | 3.95% | MnO | | | Zinc | 29.17% | Zn | 36.30% | ZnO | | | Iron | 9.34% | Fe | 12.02% | FeO | | | Phosphorus | 13.82% | P | 31.66% | P2O5 | | | Hydrogen | 1.80% | H | 16.07% | H2O | | | Oxygen | 42.82% | O | | | | | | 100.00% | | 100.00% | =TOTALOXIDE | | | | | Classification | | | | Mineral Classification: | Phosphates | Strunz 8th Ed. ID:
| 7/C.11-10 | | Nickel-Strunz 10th Ed. ID:
| 8.CA.40 | | | 8 : PHOSPHATES, ARSENATES, VANADATES
C : Phosphates without additional anions, with H2O
A : With small and large/medium cations | Related to: | None | Varieties: | None | Synonyms: | "The holy grail of minerals" | | | | | Crystal Data | | | | Crystallography:
| Monoclinic - Prismatic | Crystal Habit:
| Crystals tend to be thick tabular on {100}, with {110}, {011}, {102}, {111}, {311}, many other forms, to 13 cm. | Twinning:
| Common as contact twins giving fishtail shapes and as penetration twins, may be polysynthetic. | | | | | Physical Properties | | | | Cleavage: | Perfect on {100}, Distinct on {010} and {102} | Fracture: | Uneven | Tenacity:
| Brittle | Moh's Hardness: | 3.0 - 3.5 | Density:
| 3.08 - 3.13 (g/cm3) | Luminescence:
| Fluorescent; violet under SW UV | Radioactivity:
| Not Radioactive | Other: | Soluble in acids. | | | | | Optical Properties | | | | Color: | Pale bluish green, sea-green, colorless; colorless in transmitted light. | Transparency: | Transparent | Luster: | Vitreous | Refractive Index: | 1.595 - 1.620 Biaxial ( - ) | Birefringence: | 0.0210 - 0.0330 | Dispersion: | Perceptible, r > v | Pleochroism: | X = colorless, Y = pale blue green, Z = pale blue green | | | | | Occurances | | | | Geological Setting: | Typically a secondary mineral in zoned complex granite pegmatites, an alteration product of sphalerite and FeMn phosphates; in hydrothermal vein deposits. | Common Associations: | Triplite, Triphylite, Sphalerite, Apatite, Vivianite, Rockbridgeite, Strengite, Phosphosiderite, Fairfieldite (Hagendorf, Germany). | Common Impurities: | Mn | Type Locality: | Hagendorf North Pegmatite (Meixner Feldspar Pit), Hagendorf, Waidhaus, Vohenstrauß, Oberpfälzer Wald, Upper Palatinate, Bavaria, Germany | Year Discovered: | 1920 | View mineral photos: | Phosphophyllite Mineral Photos and Locations | | | | | More Information | | | | | Mindat.org
Webmineral.com | | |
Phosphophyllite's name means phosphate leaf in allusion to both its chemistry and its perfect cleavage. It is an extremely rare mineral and is one of the rarest gems in the world. Phosphophyllite is highly prized by both mineral specimen collectors and gem collectors for its unique and beautifully delicate bluish-green color. As a testament to its rarity, Phosphophyllite has been called "the holy grail of minerals."
Phosphophyllite is a rare zinc phosphate mineral that is only found in a few locations. Gem-quality crystals only come from the Unificada Mine, Cerro Rico, Potosí City, Potosí Department, Bolivia. The first crystals were found there in the mid-1950's in the Krause vein. None have been found since that are nearly as beautiful. Crystals have also been found at the Cornelia Mine, Hagendorf, Bavaria, Germany but these are very small and pale and do not come close to the amazing color of crystals from Bolivia. Very small, pale crystals have also been found at the Foote Mine, Kings Mountain District, Cleveland County, North Carolina, USA. Both of these locations only produce very small crystals that are too small to facet. Faceted gems are extremely rare because Phosphophyllite crystals are usually kept as mineral specimens. Most crystals found at the famous Bolivian locality are kept by mineral collectors so gem grade crystals are rarely available. Usually only broken crystals and fragments are used to facet gems so gems are typically small. Phosphophyllite crystals and gems are among the hardest to obtain and the most expensive. Distribution: From the Type Locality at Hagendorf, Bavaria, Germany. At Pribyslavice, Czech Republic. From the Norrö pegmatite, on Rånö Island, Sweden. Extraordinary crystals in the Unificada mine, Cerro Rico, and from the Siglo XX mine, Llallagua, Potosí; in the Morococala mine, near Oruro, Bolivia. In the USA, at the Palermo #1 mine, near North Groton, Grafton County, New Hampshire; at Red Hill, Rumford, and from Newry, Oxford County, Maine. On Reaphook Hill, near Blinman, Flinders Ranges, South Australia. From Kabwe (Broken Hill), Zambia.
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Phosphophyllite gems for sale:
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| | Gem: | Phosphophyllite | | Stock #: | PHOSP-005 | | Weight: | 0.2060 ct | | Size: | 4.00 x 1.92 mm | | Shape: | Round | | Color: | Bluish-Green | | Clarity: | Eye Clean - VS2 | | Origin: | Unificada Mine, Potosi, Bolivia | | Treatment: | None (natural) | | Price: | $200.00 [ Make an offer ] | | Pictures areof the actual gem offeredfor sale.
Gem images aremagnified to show detail. | | |
| | This gem is the ideal bluish-green color unique to Phosphophyllite. It is a very bright and beautiful little gem. This is a chance to add a very rare gem to your collection. | |
click on picture
| | Gem: | Phosphophyllite | | Stock #: | PHOSP-003 | | Weight: | 2.6975 ct | | Size: | 10.31 x 8.46 x 5.11 mm | | Shape: | Oval | | Color: | Bluish-Green | | Clarity: | VS2 - SI2 | | Origin: | Unificada Mine, Potosi, Bolivia | | Treatment: | None (natural) | | Price: | $2,000.00 [ Make an offer ] | | Pictures areof the actual gem offeredfor sale.
Gem images aremagnified to show detail. | | |
click on picture | | Please click on the pictures for larger views. An extremely rare gem, and at an amazing size! This incredible gem has the ideal color for Phosphophyllite, a color almost unique in the gem world, a delicate bluish-green. This is a very rare chance to add one of the rarest gems in the world to your collection. | |
| | Gem: | Phosphophyllite | | Stock #: | PHOSP-002 | | Weight: | 0.5100 ct | | Size: | 7.70 x 4.65 x 2.60 mm | | Shape: | Custom Triangle | | Color: | Bluish-Green | | Clarity: | Eye Clean - VS2 | | Origin: | Unificada Mine, Potosi, Bolivia | | Treatment: | None (natural) | | Price: | Archived - not for sale | | Pictures areof the actual gem offeredfor sale.
Gem images aremagnified to show detail. | | |
| | This gem is the ideal bluish-green color unique to Phosphophyllite. It is a very bright and beautiful little gem. This is a chance to add a very rare gem to your collection. | |
| | Gem: | Phosphophyllite | | Stock #: | PHOSP-001 | | Weight: | 0.2415 ct | | Size: | 3.98 x 2.17 mm | | Shape: | Round | | Color: | Bluish-Green | | Clarity: | Eye Clean | | Origin: | Unificada Mine, Potosi, Bolivia | | Treatment: | None (natural) | | Price: | SOLD | | Pictures areof the actual gem offeredfor sale.
Gem images aremagnified to show detail. | | |
| | This gem is the ideal bluish-green color unique to Phosphophyllite. It is a very bright and beautiful little gem. This is a chance to add a very rare gem to your collection. | |
| | Gem: | Phosphophyllite | | Stock #: | PHOSP-004 | | Weight: | 0.1980 ct | | Size: | 3.90 x 1.93 mm | | Shape: | Round | | Color: | Bluish-Green | | Clarity: | Eye Clean - VS2 | | Origin: | Unificada Mine, Potosi, Bolivia | | Treatment: | None (natural) | | Price: | SOLD | | Pictures areof the actual gem offeredfor sale.
Gem images aremagnified to show detail. | | |
| | This gem is the ideal bluish-green color unique to Phosphophyllite. It is a very bright and beautiful little gem. This is a chance to add a very rare gem to your collection. | | FAQs
For faceted phosphophyllite, the price per carat tends to reflect its rarity. However, if you can find them, faceted gems average around $400 per carat, reaching as high as $1800 per carat.
Is phosphophyllite a real gem? ›
Phosphophyllite derives its name from its mineral composition, which includes phosphorus and the Greek word “phyllon,” meaning leaf, due to its characteristic crystal formations. This gemstone is primarily found in the Potosi region of Bolivia and has also been discovered in Germany.
How rare is phosphophyllite? ›
Unfortunately, it is very rare and primarily sold on the specimine collector market. Poor quality specimines will be multiple hundreds of dollars, and there you have a higher chance of being scammed. Well form crystals will be thousands to tens of thousands of dollars.
What is phosphophyllite used for? ›
Uses and Applications of Phosphophyllite
Mineral Collecting: Phosphophyllite is highly sought after by mineral collectors and enthusiasts due to its unique blue-green color, leaf-like crystal habit, and rarity. Collectors appreciate its aesthetic appeal and its ability to enhance a mineral collection.
Why is phosphophyllite so expensive? ›
Very rare! Phosphophyllite is one of the most sought-after mineral species for collectors (and consequently can be expensive), as these famed, gemmy, fish-tail twin crystals were found in the 1950's and not in this quality since.
How fragile is phosphophyllite? ›
It is highly prized by collectors for its rarity and for its delicate bluish green colour. Phosphophyllite is rarely cut because it is fragile and brittle, and large crystals are too valuable to be broken up. Twinned Phosphophyllite, Unificada Mine, Cerro de Potosí, Potosí Department, Bolivia.
What is the cursed gem? ›
The Hope Diamond
Arguably the most famous and most cursed precious gemstone in history, this 45.52-carat sparkler has a long and storied past. The Hope Diamond has been blamed for a laundry list of tragedies, including but not limited to: beatings, stabbings, murder, insanity, and suicide.
Where can phosphophyllite be found? ›
Phosphophyllite is an uncommon mineral found as a secondary mineral in granite pegmatites, as an alteration mineral after sphalerite and iron-manganese phosphates, and in hydrothermal vein deposits. Localities for Phosphophyllite include Germany, Sweden, Bolivia, the United States, Australia, and Zambia.
What happened to phosphophyllite? ›
They become impatient and volatile. Their fifth, and final, change in personality currently happens after the end of their 10,000 year wait on earth, after praying everyone away. All their anger and violence from their previous personality has vanished, and they've become quiet and peaceful.
How strong is phosphophyllite? ›
At the start of the series, Phos is one of the weakest Gems in the whole series, with 3.5 of hardness and the weakest flexibility out of all gems, only harder than Antarcticite (3) and Cinnarbar (2).
Phosphophyllite, also known as Phos for short, is the main protagonist of Haruko Ichikawa's manga and anime series Houseki no Kuni. Phos is the youngest Gem, an immortal, sexless, humanoid race who is in constant conflict against the invading Lunarians, who seek to use the Gems as decorations.
When was phosphophyllite found? ›
Phosphophyllite is named in allusion to its composition, being a phosphate, and structure, from the Greek word phyllos for leaf, referring to its perfect cleavage. Discovered in 1920; IMA status: Valid (pre-IMA; Grandfathered).
What are phosphophyllite arms made of? ›
After losing their arms during winter duties, they were replaced with gold and platinum alloy, which made their arms gold in color and Phos larger in size.
What is the hardness of a diamond? ›
One the Mohs scale of relative hardness, a diamond is rated as 10. This means that it is the hardest mineral known to man. Only a mineral that is the same hardness grade can scratch the mineral.
What is the most expensive stone in the sea? ›
Created by mollusks (particularly oysters, mussels and clams), Pearls are by far the most expensive organic gemstones around. The prices of Pearls fluctuate depending on where they're found – Pearls formed in salt water are valued much higher than freshwater Pearls.
What is the rarest stone in Japan? ›
Faceted Anorthite is incredibly rare and highly prized within Japan - very, very few of the specimens are anywhere near gem quality.
What is the rarest mineral stone? ›
This is painite, which appears as deep red hexagonal crystals (though there are some pinkish exceptions). Though painite is now more easily found than it used to be, this mineral is still rare, and its chemical structure makes it something of a scientific enigma.
Who is the hardest gem in Houseki no Kuni? ›
For example, Diamond has the highest hardness of 10, but is second-class in terms of toughness. Gems like Jade can have an average hardness of 7, but have excellent toughness.
