A Geoscience Digital Image Library
A Geoscience Digital Image Library
| Title | Triphylite, Tip Top Mine, Black Hills, USA |
|---|---|
| Description | Triphylite, Li(Fe,Mn)PO4, is a rather scarce phosphate mineral. It is closely related to lithiophilite; the two minerals only differ in Mn to Fe ratios. Triphylite is a primary phosphate mineral found in phosphatic pegmatites and pegmatitic dikes; it often alters to form other phosphate minerals. Triphylite’s color is typically blue, gray-blue and gray-blue-green. In this sample it is nearly black. Quartz (white) and K-feldspar (orangish) are also present. This specimen is 6 cm across. |
| Geologic province | Black Hills |
| Location | USA ▹ South Dakota ▹ Custer. Tip Top Mine. |
| Photographer | Nessa Eull. 2001-06-29. |
| Collection | University of North Dakota Mineralogy Collection #978. |
| Key words | triphylite, quartz, K-feldspar, South Dakota |
| Tech details | 601 KB. Hand specimen. Fujifilm FinePix S1Pro digital camera; 60mm AF Nikon micro lens. |
| GeoDIL number | 967 |
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