Herderite
Encyclopedia
Herderite is a mineral belonging to the apatite
, phosphate
group, with formula CaBe(PO4)(F,OH). It forms monoclinic crystals, often twinned
and variable in colour from colourless through yellow, green or purple.
It is found in many parts of the world, often in pegmatite
s and associated with other apatite minerals.
It is named after Sigmund August Wolfgang von Herder, a mining official from Saxony
.
Apatite
Apatite is a group of phosphate minerals, usually referring to hydroxylapatite, fluorapatite, chlorapatite and bromapatite, named for high concentrations of OH−, F−, Cl− or Br− ions, respectively, in the crystal...
, phosphate
Phosphate
A phosphate, an inorganic chemical, is a salt of phosphoric acid. In organic chemistry, a phosphate, or organophosphate, is an ester of phosphoric acid. Organic phosphates are important in biochemistry and biogeochemistry or ecology. Inorganic phosphates are mined to obtain phosphorus for use in...
group, with formula CaBe(PO4)(F,OH). It forms monoclinic crystals, often twinned
Crystal twinning
Crystal twinning occurs when two separate crystals share some of the same crystal lattice points in a symmetrical manner. The result is an intergrowth of two separate crystals in a variety of specific configurations. A twin boundary or composition surface separates the two crystals....
and variable in colour from colourless through yellow, green or purple.
It is found in many parts of the world, often in pegmatite
Pegmatite
A pegmatite is a very crystalline, intrusive igneous rock composed of interlocking crystals usually larger than 2.5 cm in size; such rocks are referred to as pegmatitic....
s and associated with other apatite minerals.
It is named after Sigmund August Wolfgang von Herder, a mining official from Saxony
Saxony
The Free State of Saxony is a landlocked state of Germany, contingent with Brandenburg, Saxony Anhalt, Thuringia, Bavaria, the Czech Republic and Poland. It is the tenth-largest German state in area, with of Germany's sixteen states....
.