Wilkeite
A variety of Hydroxylellestadite
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About Wilkeite
Robert Max Wilke circa 1915
Formula:
Ca5(SiO4)1.5(SO4)1.5OH
Colour:
Pink
Crystal System:
Hexagonal
Name:
Named by Eakle and Rogers (1914) in honor of Mr. Robert Max Wilke 1862-1946, American mineral dealer and collector of Palo Alto, California. Wilkeite was descredited as a mineral in 1982 (Rouse & Dunn 1982, CNMMN/IMA 1982). It was then defined as a material intermediate between fluorellestadite and apatite.
First Recorded Locality:
Now a discredited mineral.
A note on specimens labelled as wilkeite from the first recorded locality, Crestmore quarries, California, USA:
The type material was described as pink hexagonal crystals in blue crystalline limestone from Riverside Co., California, USA. No exact type specimen of wilkeite exists (Rouse & Dunn 1982). McConnell (1937) analyzed a sample of “wilkeite” and found it to be different in chemical composition than wilkeite and described it as a new mineral, ellestadite. The mineral was visually indistinguishable in apperance from the earlier described wilkeite. Pasero et al. (2010) states that based on the original chemical analysis the type specimen should be considered hydroxylellestadite (ellestadite-(OH)).
According to Fleischer (1983), wilkeite is a siliceous, sulphatian Apatite, or a phosphatian Fluorellestadite. Bayliss - Glossary of Obsolete Mineral Names (2000), simply calls it P-rich Fluorellestadite, with references to American Mineralogist (1982): 67: 90, and Mineralogical Magazine (1982): 46: 514.
Tan-yellowish hexagonal crystals in blue calcite are commonly labelled as wilkeite.
Most of the wilkeites from the Crestmore quarries, California, USA seems to be hydroyxlellestadite, but it could be other species in the Ellestadite group as well. (See Jim Ferraiolo's comment on the messageboard in 2003: http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,7,10277,10279#msg-10279).
Transparent tan-yellow prismatic crystals in blue calcite labelled fluorellestadite/wilkeite has been analyzed and found to be hydroxylellestadite, see RRUFF (idR060769): [http://rruff.info/hydroxylellestadite/display=default/]
Recommendation for labelling: Wilkeite specimens from Crestmore Quarries which which are not analyzed may be labelled as ellestadite.
A note on specimens labelled as wilkeite from the first recorded locality, Crestmore quarries, California, USA:
The type material was described as pink hexagonal crystals in blue crystalline limestone from Riverside Co., California, USA. No exact type specimen of wilkeite exists (Rouse & Dunn 1982). McConnell (1937) analyzed a sample of “wilkeite” and found it to be different in chemical composition than wilkeite and described it as a new mineral, ellestadite. The mineral was visually indistinguishable in apperance from the earlier described wilkeite. Pasero et al. (2010) states that based on the original chemical analysis the type specimen should be considered hydroxylellestadite (ellestadite-(OH)).
According to Fleischer (1983), wilkeite is a siliceous, sulphatian Apatite, or a phosphatian Fluorellestadite. Bayliss - Glossary of Obsolete Mineral Names (2000), simply calls it P-rich Fluorellestadite, with references to American Mineralogist (1982): 67: 90, and Mineralogical Magazine (1982): 46: 514.
Tan-yellowish hexagonal crystals in blue calcite are commonly labelled as wilkeite.
Most of the wilkeites from the Crestmore quarries, California, USA seems to be hydroyxlellestadite, but it could be other species in the Ellestadite group as well. (See Jim Ferraiolo's comment on the messageboard in 2003: http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,7,10277,10279#msg-10279).
Transparent tan-yellow prismatic crystals in blue calcite labelled fluorellestadite/wilkeite has been analyzed and found to be hydroxylellestadite, see RRUFF (idR060769): [http://rruff.info/hydroxylellestadite/display=default/]
Recommendation for labelling: Wilkeite specimens from Crestmore Quarries which which are not analyzed may be labelled as ellestadite.
Unique Identifiers
Mindat ID:
7366 (as Wilkeite)
1958 (as Hydroxylellestadite)
1958 (as Hydroxylellestadite)
Long-form identifier:
mindat:1:1:7366:6 (as Wilkeite)
mindat:1:1:1958:9 (as Hydroxylellestadite)
mindat:1:1:1958:9 (as Hydroxylellestadite)
Similar Names
| Wilkeit | A synonym of Fluorellestadite | |
| Wilkite | A variety of 'Jasper' | SiO2 |
IMA Classification of Wilkeite
Discredited
Physical Properties of Wilkeite
Colour:
Pink
Chemistry of Wilkeite
Mindat Formula:
Ca5(SiO4)1.5(SO4)1.5OH
Element Weights:
Crystallography of Wilkeite
Crystal System:
Hexagonal
First Recorded Occurrence of Wilkeite
Other Language Names for Wilkeite
German:Silikatsulfatapatit
Common Associates
Associations Based on Photo Data:
| 3 photos of Wilkeite associated with 'Crestmoreite' | |
| 3 photos of Wilkeite associated with Monticellite | CaMg(SiO4) |
| 3 photos of Wilkeite associated with Vesuvianite | Ca19Fe3+Al4(Al6Mg2)(◻4)◻[Si2O7]4[(SiO4)10]O(OH)9 |
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 Wilkeite
mindat.org URL:
https://www.mindat.org/min-7366.html
Please feel free to link to this page.
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References for Wilkeite
Localities for Wilkeite
Showing 7 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.
Hungary | |
| Kovács et al. (2003) |
Israel | |
| Bartura (1974) |
Italy | |
| Cavarretta et al. (1987) +2 other references |
Japan | |
| Yamada (2004) |
Mexico | |
| Miranda-Gasca et al. (1998) +1 other reference |
Russia | |
| Pavel M. Kartashov's analytical data |
USA (FRL) | |
| Eakle (1914) |
Crestmore quarries, Crestmore, Jurupa Valley, Riverside County, California, USA