Rock Identifier
Wavellite with Quartz (Al3(PO4)2(OH,F)3 & SiO2) — mineral
mineral

Wavellite with Quartz

Al3(PO4)2(OH,F)3 & SiO2

Hardness of 3.5 to 4 for wavellite, color ranges from white, yellow, green to blue-green, vitreous to pearly luster, orthorhombic crystal system, distinct radiating or spherical aggregate crystal habits.

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Physical properties

Hardness of 3.5 to 4 for wavellite, color ranges from white, yellow, green to blue-green, vitreous to pearly luster, orthorhombic crystal system, distinct radiating or spherical aggregate crystal habits.

Formation & geological history

Forms as a secondary mineral in low-temperature hydrothermal environments, commonly found in aluminum-rich metamorphic rocks and phosphatic rock fractures.

Uses & applications

Mainly collected by mineral enthusiasts and displayed as a specimen; no major industrial uses.

Geological facts

Wavellite was first discovered in Devon, England, and is famous for its striking spherical or globular crystal aggregates that look like stars or sunbursts when broken open.

Field identification & locations

Can be identified in the field by its distinct radiating, globular, or botryoidal structures with a greenish or yellowish hue. Found worldwide including locations in the US, UK, and Germany.