HEDYPHANE

    Class : Phosphates, arsenates, vanadates
    Subclass : Anhydrous arsenates
    Crystal system : Hexagonal
    Chemistry : Pb3Ca2(AsO4)3Cl
    Rarity : Rare

Hedyphane is a chlorinated lead and calcium arsenate belonging to the apatite group. It is a rare secondary mineral from various hydrothermal deposits of varying lead content: metamorphic manganese deposits (Langban and Harstig in Sweden), stratiform zinc deposits (Franklin, New Jersey), polymetallic deposits (Tsumeb, Namibia). Its name comes from the Greek hedus (pleasant, luminous) and phainein (to appear) to highlight its adamantine luster. Hedyphane forms thick prismatic or tabular crystals, usually bipyramidal, or colorless masses, white or pale yellow, sometimes pale blue, purplish or light brown.

Main photo : Hedyphane from Beltana Mine, Puttapa, Australia © John Toma

Hedyphane from Beltana Mine, Puttapa, Australia © Mark Willoughby
Hedyphane from Tsumeb, Namibia © Christian Rewitzer
Hedyphane from San Pietro Mine, Sardinia, Italy © Gianfranco Ciccolini
Acicular hedyphane from Hamburg Mine, Arizona, USA © Stephan Wolfsried

Hedyphane in the World

The largest known crystals of hedyphane measure 3 cm and come from Tsumeb (Namibia), but this mineral was particularly abundant in Franklin (New Jersey), where it constituted the most common lead mineral, in association with rhodonite, calcite, native copper and willemite. It is also known in Langban (Sweden) with tephroite, calcite and magnetite.

Hedyphane in France

Hedyphane is not present in the French underground.

Twinning

No twins known for this mineral species.

Fakes and treatments

No fakes recorded for this mineral species.


Hardness : 4 to 5
Density : 5.82
Fracture : Sub-conchoidal
Streak : White

TP : Translucent to transparent
RI : 1.948 to 2.030
Birefringence : 0.010
Optical character : Uniaxial (+/-)
Pleochroism : None
Fluorescence : Pale orange

Solubility : Nitric acid

Magnetism : NoneRadioactivity : None

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