Walentaite

General Information:
 Chemical Formula:
(Ca,Mn++,Fe++)Fe+++3(AsO4)(PO4)3(PO3OH)
 Empirical Formula:
Ca0.6Mn2+0.3Fe2+0.1Fe3+3(AsO4)(PO4)3(PO3)(OH)
 Environment:
Secondary phosphate mineral.
 Locality:
White Elephant mine, Pringle, Custer County, South Dakota, USA.
 Name Origin:
Named for Kurt Walenta (1927-), mineralogist, University of Stuttgart, Germany, who has studied many phosphate minerals.
Physical Properties:
 Cleavage:
[010] Perfect
 Color:
greenish yellow, yellow green, or bright yellow.
 Density:
2.72
 Diaphaniety:
Translucent
 Habits:
Rosette - Bundled tabular aggregates resembling rose flower petals., ,
 Hardness:
3 - Calcite
 Luminescence:
Non-fluorescent.
 Luster:
Vitreous (Glassy)
 Streak:
yellow
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