Fransoletite
A valid IMA mineral species
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About Fransoletite
André-Mathieu Fransolet
Formula:
Ca3Be2(PO4)2(PO3OH)2 · 4H2O
Colour:
Colorless to slightly whitish
Lustre:
Sub-Vitreous
Hardness:
3
Specific Gravity:
2.56
Crystal System:
Monoclinic
Name:
Named in 1983 by D.R. Peacor, P.J. Dunn, W.L. Roberts, T.J. Campbell, and D. Newbury after André-Mathieu Fransolet (8 May 1947, Verviers, Liège, Belgium - ), professor of mineralogy and crystallography at the University of Liège and specialist in phosphates.
This page provides mineralogical data about Fransoletite.
Unique Identifiers
Mindat ID:
1600
Long-form identifier:
mindat:1:1:1600:7
IMA Classification of Fransoletite
Classification of Fransoletite
8.CA.05
8 : PHOSPHATES, ARSENATES, VANADATES
C : Phosphates without additional anions, with H2O
A : With small and large/medium cations
8 : PHOSPHATES, ARSENATES, VANADATES
C : Phosphates without additional anions, with H2O
A : With small and large/medium cations
40.5.1.1
40 : HYDRATED NORMAL PHOSPHATES,ARSENATES AND VANADATES
5 : AXO4·xH2O
40 : HYDRATED NORMAL PHOSPHATES,ARSENATES AND VANADATES
5 : AXO4·xH2O
19.3.6
19 : Phosphates
3 : Phosphates of Be and Mg
19 : Phosphates
3 : Phosphates of Be and Mg
Mineral Symbols
As of 2021 there are now IMA–CNMNC approved mineral symbols (abbreviations) for each mineral species, useful for tables and diagrams.
| Symbol | Source | Reference for Standard |
|---|---|---|
| Fsl | IMA–CNMNC | Warr, L.N. (2021). IMA–CNMNC approved mineral symbols. Mineralogical Magazine, 85(3), 291-320. doi:10.1180/mgm.2021.43 |
Physical Properties of Fransoletite
Sub-Vitreous
Transparency:
Transparent, Translucent
Colour:
Colorless to slightly whitish
Streak:
White
Hardness:
3 on Mohs scale
Cleavage:
Imperfect/Fair
{010}, imperfect
{010}, imperfect
Fracture:
Irregular/Uneven
Density:
2.56(3) g/cm3 (Measured) 2.53 g/cm3 (Calculated)
Optical Data of Fransoletite
Type:
Biaxial (+)
RI values:
nα = 1.560(2) nβ = 1.566(2) nγ = 1.586(2)
2V:
Measured: 25° , Calculated: 58°
Max. Birefringence:
δ = 0.026
Based on recorded range of RI values above.
Based on recorded range of RI values above.
Interference Colours:
The colours simulate birefringence patterns seen in thin section under crossed polars. They do not take into account mineral colouration or opacity.
Michel-Levy Bar The default colours simulate the birefringence range for a 30 µm thin-section thickness. Adjust the slider to simulate a different thickness.
Grain Simulation You can rotate the grain simulation to show how this range might look as you rotated a sample under crossed polars. Each grain retains its interference colour (retardation) while its brightness falls to black at extinction and reaches a maximum between extinction positions.
The colours simulate birefringence patterns seen in thin section under crossed polars. They do not take into account mineral colouration or opacity.
Michel-Levy Bar The default colours simulate the birefringence range for a 30 µm thin-section thickness. Adjust the slider to simulate a different thickness.
Grain Simulation You can rotate the grain simulation to show how this range might look as you rotated a sample under crossed polars. Each grain retains its interference colour (retardation) while its brightness falls to black at extinction and reaches a maximum between extinction positions.
Surface Relief:
Moderate (positive)
Relative to Canada balsam mounting medium (n ≈ 1.537).
Relative to Canada balsam mounting medium (n ≈ 1.537).
This shows the grain boundary and Becke line effect under plane-polarised
light, based on the contrast between this mineral's average refractive
index and the mounting medium. It does not take into account mineral
colouration.
In focus
Interference Figure:
This shows the idealized biaxial acute bisectrix (Bxa) interference figure
- the conoscopic view for a grain cut perpendicular to the acute bisectrix, using
this mineral's 2V. The two small white dots mark the melatopes - the points
where the two optic axes emerge - and are shown only when they fall within the
field of view. The coloured bands are isochromatics, and the dark bands are
isogyres.
Rotate the stage: at 0°/90° the isogyres form a cross through the melatopes; at 45° they pull apart into curved hyperbolas. That splitting on rotation - absent in a uniaxial figure - is the standard diagnostic test for telling biaxial minerals from uniaxial ones. If 2V is large, the melatopes may fall outside the field of view, as they often do at the microscope too.
Rotate the stage: at 0°/90° the isogyres form a cross through the melatopes; at 45° they pull apart into curved hyperbolas. That splitting on rotation - absent in a uniaxial figure - is the standard diagnostic test for telling biaxial minerals from uniaxial ones. If 2V is large, the melatopes may fall outside the field of view, as they often do at the microscope too.
Dispersion:
r < v moderate
Optical Extinction:
Y = b; Z ∧ c = 14º.
Pleochroism:
Non-pleochroic
Chemistry of Fransoletite
Mindat Formula:
Ca3Be2(PO4)2(PO3OH)2 · 4H2O
Element Weights:
Crystallography of Fransoletite
Crystal System:
Monoclinic
Class (H-M):
2/m - Prismatic
Space Group:
P21/b
Setting:
P21/a
Cell Parameters:
a = 7.35 Å, b = 15.07 Å, c = 7.05 Å
β = 96.41°
β = 96.41°
Ratio:
a:b:c = 0.488 : 1 : 0.468
Unit Cell V:
776.01 ų (Calculated from Unit Cell)
Z:
2
Crystal Structure
Load
Unit Cell | Unit Cell Packed
2x2x2 | 3x3x3 | 4x4x4
Unit Cell | Unit Cell Packed
2x2x2 | 3x3x3 | 4x4x4
Show
Big Balls | Small Balls | Just Balls | Spacefill
Polyhedra Off | Si Polyhedra | All Polyhedra
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Big Balls | Small Balls | Just Balls | Spacefill
Polyhedra Off | Si Polyhedra | All Polyhedra
Remove metal-metal sticks
Display Options
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2D | Stereo | Red-Blue | Red-Cyan
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View
CIF File Best | x | y | z | a | b | c
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Rotation
Stop | Start
Stop | Start
Labels
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Data courtesy of the American Mineralogist Crystal Structure Database. Click on an AMCSD ID to view structure
| ID | Species | Reference | Link | Year | Locality | Pressure (GPa) | Temp (K) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0001531 | Fransoletite | Kampf A R (1992) Beryllophosphate chains in the structures of fransoletite, parafransoletite, and ehrleite and some general comments on beryllophosphate linkages American Mineralogist 77 848-856 |  | 1992 | 0 | 293 |
CIF Raw Data - click here to close
X-Ray Powder Diffraction
Powder Diffraction Data:
| d-spacing | Intensity |
|---|---|
| 3.044 Å | (100) |
| 3.47 Å | (90) |
| 3.32 Å | (70) |
| 2.317 Å | (50) |
| 7.52 Å | (40) |
| 2.597 Å | (40) |
| 6.55 Å | (30) |
Geological Environment
Paragenetic Mode(s):
| Paragenetic Mode | Earliest Age (Ga) |
|---|---|
| Stage 4b: Highly evolved igneous rocks | >3.0 |
| 34 : Complex granite pegmatites | |
| Stage 7: Great Oxidation Event | <2.4 |
| 47a : [Near-surface hydration of prior minerals] | |
| 47c : [Carbonates, phosphates, borates, nitrates] |
Type Occurrence of Fransoletite
General Appearance of Type Material:
Crystals are arrow-head-shaped, curved, composed of mosaiced aggregates of minute crystallites, to 3 mm.
Place of Conservation of Type Material:
National Museum of Natural History, Washington, D.C., USA, 149607.
Los Angeles County Museum of Natural History, Los Angeles, California, USA.
Los Angeles County Museum of Natural History, Los Angeles, California, USA.
Geological Setting of Type Material:
Altered granitic pegmatite.
Associated Minerals at Type Locality:
Synonyms of Fransoletite
Other Language Names for Fransoletite
Common Associates
Associations Based on Photo Data:
| 9 photos of Fransoletite associated with Tiptopite | K2(Na,Ca)2Li3Be6(PO4)6(OH)2 · H2O |
| 6 photos of Fransoletite associated with Roscherite | Ca2Mn2+5Be4(PO4)6(OH)4 · 6H2O |
| 4 photos of Fransoletite associated with Montgomeryite | Ca4MgAl4(PO4)6(OH)4 · 12H2O |
| 3 photos of Fransoletite associated with Englishite | K3Na2Ca10Al15(PO4)21(OH)7 · 26H2O |
| 2 photos of Fransoletite associated with Hurlbutite | CaBe2(PO4)2 |
| 1 photo of Fransoletite associated with Robertsite | Ca2Mn3+3(PO4)3O2 · 3H2O |
| 1 photo of Fransoletite associated with Beryl | Be3Al2(Si6O18) |
| 1 photo of Fransoletite associated with Whitlockite | Ca9Mg(PO4)6(PO3OH) |
Related Minerals - Strunz-mindat Grouping
| 8.CA. | Apexite | NaMg(PO4) · 9H2O |
| 8.CA. | Brandãoite | BeAl2(PO4)2(OH)2(H2O)5 |
| 8.CA. | Davidlloydite | Zn3(AsO4)2 · 4H2O |
| 8.CA.05 | Parafransoletite | Ca3Be2(PO4)2(PO3OH)2 · 4H2O |
| 8.CA.10 | Ehrleite | Ca4Be3Zn2(PO4)6 · 9H2O |
| 8.CA.15 | Faheyite | Be2Mn2+Fe3+2(PO4)4 · 6H2O |
| 8.CA.20 | Mccrillisite | NaCs(Be,Li)Zr2(PO4)4 · 1-2H2O |
| 8.CA.20 | Gainesite | Na(Na,K)(Be,Li)Zr2(PO4)4 · 1.5-2H2O |
| 8.CA.20 | Selwynite | NaK(Be,Al)Zr2(PO4)4 · 2H2O |
| 8.CA.25 | Pahasapaite | Li8(Ca,Li,K)10.5Be24(PO4)24 · 38H2O |
| 8.CA.30 | Nizamoffite | Mn2+Zn2(PO4)2(H2O)4 |
| 8.CA.30 | Arsenohopeite | Zn3(AsO4)2 · 4H2O |
| 8.CA.30 | Hopeite | ZnZn2(PO4)2 · 4H2O |
| 8.CA.35 | Warikahnite | Zn3(AsO4)2 · 2H2O |
| 8.CA.40 | Phosphophyllite | Zn2Fe 2+(PO4)2 · 4H2O |
| 8.CA.42 | Steinmetzite | Zn2Fe3+(PO4)2(OH) · 3H2O |
| 8.CA.45 | Parascholzite | CaZn2(PO4)2 · 2H2O |
| 8.CA.45 | Scholzite | CaZn2(PO4)2 · 2H2O |
| 8.CA.50 | Keyite | Cu2+3Zn4Cd2(AsO4)6 · 2H2O |
| 8.CA.55 | Pushcharovskite | K0.6Cu18[AsO2(OH)2]4[AsO3OH]10(AsO4)(OH)9.6 · 18.6H2O |
| 8.CA.60 | Prosperite | Ca2Zn4(AsO4)4 · H2O |
| 8.CA.65 | Gengenbachite | KFe3+3(PO3OH)4[PO2(OH)2]2 · 6H2O |
| 8.CA.70 | Parahopeite | Zn3(PO4)2 · 4H2O |
| 8.CA.70 | Reaphookhillite | MgZn2(PO4)2 · 4H2O |
| 8.CA.75 | Stergiouite | CaZn2(AsO4)2 · 4H2O |
| 8.CA.80 | Limousinite | BaCa[Be4P4O16] · 6H2O |
| 8.CA.85 | Minjiangite | BaBe2(PO4)2 |
| 8.CA.85 | Wilancookite | (Ba5Li2◻)Ba6Be24P24O96 · 26H2O |
Fluorescence of Fransoletite
Not fluorescent.
Other Information
Health Risks:
No information on health risks for this material has been entered into the database. You should always treat mineral specimens with care.
Internet Links for Fransoletite
mindat.org URL:
https://www.mindat.org/min-1600.html
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Please feel free to link to this page.
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References for Fransoletite
Reference List:
Peacor, Donald R., Dunn, Pete J., Roberts, Willard Lincoln, Campbell, Thomas J., Newbury, Dale E. (1983) Fransoletite, a new calcium beryllium phosphate from the Tip Top pegmatite, Custer, South Dakota. Bulletin de Minéralogie, 106 (5) 499-503 doi:10.3406/bulmi.1983.7729
Dunn, Pete J., Chao, George Y., Fleischer, Michael, Ferraiolo, James A., Langley, Richard H., Pabst, Adolf, Zilczer, Janet A. (1985) New mineral names. American Mineralogist, 70 (1-2) 214-221
Localities for Fransoletite
Showing 1 localities.
symbol to view information about a locality.
The Locality List
- This locality has map coordinates listed.
- This locality has estimated coordinates.
ⓘ - Click for references and further information on this occurrence.
? - Indicates mineral may be doubtful at this locality.
- Good crystals or important locality for species.
- World class for species or very significant.
(TL) - Type Locality for a valid mineral species.
(FRL) - First Recorded Locality for everything else (eg varieties).
All localities listed without proper references should be considered as questionable.
USA (TL) | |
| Rocks & Minerals: 60: 117. +1 other reference |
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Tip Top Mine, Fourmile, Custer Mining District, Custer County, South Dakota, USA