THE
MINERAL GORMANITE
- Chemistry: (Fe, Mg)3Al4(PO4)4(OH)6 - 2H2O, Hydrated Iron Magnesium Aluminum Phosphate Hydroxide.
- Class: Phosphates
- Uses: Only as mineral specimens.
Specimens
Gormanite is one of the new phosphates coming from the hydrothermal
phosphate deposits such as the Rapid Creek, Big Fish River and Blow River
areas in the Yukon Territory of Canada. Gormanite forms a series with the
mineral
A series is a set of minerals that differ only in their chemical content and not appreciably in their respective structures. The chemical difference is usually between two elements that can occupy the same site in a crystal lattice and thus can substitute for each other. If the substitution can range from 100% of element A to 100% of element B in the site, then the series is called a complete series. In this case, the series is probably incomplete between the magnesium rich souzalite and the iron rich gormanite.
Gormanite is relatively new to the mineral world having been described in just the last 20 years. Gormanite forms attractive, colorful specimens with generally good crystals that are easily a good addition to anyone's collection.
PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS:
- Color is blue-green.
- Luster is vitreous.
- Transparency: Specimens are translucent to transparent.
- Crystal System: Triclinic; bar 1
- Crystal Habits include stubby to prismatic crystals and druzy crusts.
- Hardness is 4 - 5
- Specific Gravity is approximately 3.1 (average for translucent minerals)
- Associated Minerals include other
phosphates
such as wardite,
goyazite , augelite, whiteite, ludlamite, kulanite, lazulite and brazilianite as well as siderite and calcite among others. - Notable Occurrences: The Rapid Creek, Big Fish River and Blow River areas, Yukon Territory, Canada and limited examples elsewhere.
- Best Field Indicators: color, crystal habit, associations and localities.
 Amethyst Galleries' Mineral Gallery MINERALS |
GORMANITE specimen gor-1
$ 60.00
$ 60.00
Dims: 1.5 x 1.3 x 0.6" (3.8 x 3.3 x 1.5 cm)
Wt: 28.3 g w/ base
Big Fish River, Yukon, Canada
This large thumbnail specimen consists of a crust of spiky, radiating Gormanite crystals that rests on a dull, brown base. These crystals are arranged in heavily-intergrown clusters, a few of which are badly crushed. These crystals do not exceed 0.2" (5 mm) and appear to have a good trilcinic bladed form, with sharp edges and striated but clean faces. All have a deep blue color with tinges of gray and green and a pearly luster, and are translucent at best. They appear to be accompanied by small amounts of quartz and siderite which rest between the Gormanite and the brown base. The piece is hot-glued onto a flat acrylic base.
gor-1 ($ 60.00)
Big Fish River, Yukon, Canada
GORMANITE specimen gor-3
$ 65.00
$ 65.00
Dims: 2.0 x 1.4 x 0.7" (5.1 x 3.6 x 1.8 cm)
Wt: 1.20 oz. (34.1 g) w/ base
Big Fish River, Yukon, Canada
A crust of tightly-arranged Gormanite crystals rests in a crevice in the dark brown host of this specimen. These crystals are in very good condition, as only a few are damaged, and do not generally exceed 0.2" (5 mm) in length. Their monoclinic bladed form is moderately good, showing some well-defined edges and striated but clean faces. They have the deep blue coloration and pearly luster of their species and are only dimly translucent as a rule. The brown host rock strongly resembles shale.
gor-3 ($ 65.00)
Big Fish River, Yukon, Canada
GORMANITE specimen gor-5$ 160.00
Dims: 2.4 x 2.0 x 1.2" (6.1 x 5.1 x 3.0 cm)
Wt: 3.10 oz. (88.0 g)
Big Fish River, Yukon, Canada
Several veins and crusts of crystalline Gormanite permeate and coat the brown host rock of this piece. The crusts are generally in fair condition, as they show considerable damage, but the veins are likely in very good condition, being protected by the host. The crystals that make up these formations do not generally exceed 0.1" (4 mm) and are heavily intergrown, so that their triclinic form is difficult to effectively study. All have a deep blue color with hints of green and gray and a pearly luster, and are dimly translucent as a rule.
gor-5 ($160.00)Big Fish River, Yukon, Canada
GORMANITE specimen gor-6
$ 28.00
$ 28.00
Dims: 1.0 x 0.5 x 0.4" (2.5 x 1.3 x 1.0 cm)
Wt: 6.7 g w/ base
Big Fish River, Yukon, Canada
Two partly-intergrown Gormanite clusters rest on the brown base rock of this thumbnail specimen. One cluster is nearly complete, but less than half of the other is present, and both show slight but noticeable damage in the form of crushed crystals. These crystals do not exceed 0.1" (4 mm) in length and are difficult to study due to their intergrowth. Their monoclinic form appears to be average for their species, and all have the standard dark blue color with hints of gray and green and a pearly luster. The clusters are essentially opaque, though individual crystals are probably translucent. The Gormanite is accompanied by several tiny siderite crystals that rest nearby. The piece is hot-glued onto a flat acrylic base.
gor-6 ($ 28.00)
Big Fish River, Yukon, Canada
GORMANITE specimen gor-7
$ 100.00
$ 100.00
Dims: 2.0 x 1.2 x 0.6" (5.1 x 3.0 x 1.5 cm)
Wt: 1.67 oz. (47.6 g) w/ base
Big Fish River, Yukon, Canada
A substantial Gormanite crust partly covers the dull brown base rock of this specimen. This crust is made up of hundreds of crystals, most of which do not exceed 0.1" (3 mm) in length. They are somewhat intergrown but still appear to have a reasonably good triclinic form. All have a deep blue color with hints of green and gray, and are dimly translucent as individuals. One or two thin layers of crystalline siderite permeate the host rock beneath the Gormanite crust. The piece is hot-glued onto an acrylic base.
gor-7 ($100.00)
Big Fish River, Yukon, Canada
GORMANITE specimen gor-8
$ 57.00
$ 57.00
Dims: 1.4 x 1.0 x 1.0" (3.5 x 2.6 x 2.4 cm)
Wt: 0.7 oz. (21 g) w/ base
Big Fish River, Yukon, Canada
This hand specimen consists of many small Gormanite and calcite crystals that cover an iron-rich base. The Gormanites are generally in very good condition, being smaller than the calcites, and do not exceed 0.4" (1 cm) in length. Their triclinic prismatic form is good, and all have the dull, gray-blue color and vitreous luster that are standard for the specie. The calcites show excellent trigonal prismatic form and have a dull, brown-yellow coloration. They show a pearly luster and are transparent and quite clear. The piece is hot-glued to an acrylic base.
gor-8 ($ 57.00)
Big Fish River, Yukon, Canada
GORMANITE specimen gor-9
$ 60.00
$ 60.00
Dims: 2.5x1.9x1.3" (6.3x4.8x3.4 cm)
Wt:2.2 oz. (62.7g)
Linopolis, Minas Gerais, Brazil
This hand specimen consists of numerous sprays of green gormanite crystals. The individual needles are extremely fine, which is apparent by sight where the sprays are visible from their sides, and by touch where only the tops are visible. In this case, the touch feels like pumice. This specimen is from an unusual location - gormanite is better known from Canada.
gor-9 ($ 60.00)
Linopolis, Minas Gerais, Brazil
GORMANITE specimen gor-10
$ 45.00
$ 45.00
Dims: 3.2x1.1x1.5" (8.2x2.9x3.8 cm)
Wt: 3.1 oz. (86.6g)
Linopolis, Minas Gerais, Brazil
Essentially, this is a crystal of albite with several sprays of olive-green gormanite crystals. The gormanite needles are very fine (narrow), opaque, and have a vitreous luster under a loupe although the clusters appear rather dull, but with a slight sparkle. Odly enough, all of these gormanite sprays seem to radiate from a point in space, with the broad terminations on the albite host. It seems like an odd way for crystals to form.
gor-10 ($ 45.00)
Linopolis, Minas Gerais, Brazil
GORMANITE specimen gor-11
$ 45.00
$ 45.00
Dims: 1.6x1.3x1.1" (4.0x3.3x2.9 cm) .... Wt: 0.94 oz. (26.7g)
Linopolis, Minas Gerais, Brazil
This is mostly gormanite - only about 5% of this specimen is represented by the host albite crystals upon which the gormanite is attached. The green acicular crystals are densly packed and very fine. The only places they can be examined (even with a loupe) are in the several small protected cavities, where individual crystals are visible. While the crystals are individually translucent and vitreous, the overall appearance is somewhat dull with a slight sparkle. The radial pattern of crystal growth gives the crystals a slight chatoyancy.
gor-11 ($ 45.00)
Linopolis, Minas Gerais, Brazil
GORMANITE specimen gor-12
$ 53.00
$ 53.00
Dims: 1.19x0.87x0.70" (3.03x2.22x1.77cm)
Wt: 0.46oz (13.0g)
Big Fish River, Yukon, Canada
This is a specimen of the rare phosphate mineral gormanite. The gormanite crystals are organized in small randomly arrayed tufts of acicular crystals, which individually are transparent, display a vitreous luster and a lovely blue-green. In the aggregate, the small size of the individual crystals lends a rather dull appearance, and the transparency is not visible, either, except that it makes the blue-green color somewhat more intense. This is one of those specimens that looks interesting to the unaided eye, but looks really good under magnification.
gor-12 ($ 53.00)
Big Fish River, Yukon, Canada
GORMANITE specimen gor-13
$ 38.00
$ 38.00
Dims: 0.93x0.61x0.22" (2.36x1.54x0.56cm)
Wt: 0.08oz (2.4g) ....,
Big Fish River, Yukon, Canada
This is a good example of the mineral gormanite. One surface of the specimen is covered with sprays of gormanite crystals ranging from perhaps 3 to 6 millimeters in length. All have a dark gray-blue-green color (quite similar to fresh vivianite) and the intergrown crystals lend a dull appearance to the specimen, except for occasional reflections from vitreous crystals. A loupe reveals that the individual crystals are, indeed, vitreous, and the few isolated ones appear transparent, although most are barely translucent.
gor-13 ($ 38.00)
Big Fish River, Yukon, Canada
GORMANITE specimen gor-14
$ 30.00
$ 30.00
Dims: 1.17x0.75x0.55" (2.98x1.91x1.40cm)
Wt: 0.27oz (7.6g)
Big Fish River, Yukon, Canada
Dozens of small clusters of gormanite crystals coat the top of this specimen. They rest on a bed of small golden calcite crystals. The gormanite crystals appear to be course and acicular, organized mostly in tufts a millimater thick and several long. Their color is a dark gray-blue-green that looks just like fresh vivianite. There are also patches of densely intergrown crystals, nearly appearing massive in form.
gor-14 ($ 30.00)
Big Fish River, Yukon, Canada