Purpurite

[605dano]

I was looking at an old pegmatite prospect and seen this in some wall rock. Chipped some out. Wasn't sure what it was until I got home and looked it up. It is an alteration of triphylite-lithiophilite. You never know what you are going to find.

 

[Rasputin]

Or it could be heterosite, the iron bearing analog in the solution series with purpurite.

 

[605dano]

True, but I saw no evidence of iron any where in the formation. All the quartz was pure white or clear and the feldspar looked mostly pure. There were very few secondary minerals. So I am assuming it is purpurite. Also it has been found in that area I learned today. But you could be right.

 

[IAMZIM]

I looks alot like bornite. Is purpurite a similar mineral?

 

[605dano]

No. Pururite is an alteration of lithiophilite which is a lithium manganese phosphate. It is found mainly in pegmatites where as bornite is usually found in copper deposits. Bornite is a copper iron sulfide.

 

[hvacker]

The two are really similar looking. Could you tell where this was found approximately?

 

[605dano]

I'm not sure if you mean where is the location? I live in SD, or where in the formation, it was in a nodule between the quartz core and the feldspar. I hope that helps. It will a fine new addition to my rock garden.