SCHOLZITE

    Class : Phosphates, arsenates, vanadates
    Subclass : Hydrated phosphates
    Crystal system : Orthorhombic
    Chemistry : CaZn2(PO4)2 2H2O
    Rarity : Uncommon

Scholzite is a phosphate sometimes primary but more commonly secondary to zinc-rich pegmatites; it is also a mineral resulting from the meteoric alteration of zinc-bearing sedimentary rocks with phosphates and sometimes from hydrothermal deposits also with zinc and phosphates. It was named in honor of Adolph Scholz, a chemist in Regensburg (Germany). Scholzite forms elongated, often lamellar crystals up to 2.5 cm, grouped in radiate aggregates; it seems to constantly form intergrowths with its dimorph, parascholzite. Scholzite is colorless, white or pale gray, sometimes yellow, rarely brownish.

Main photo : Scholzite from Reaphook Hill, Australia © Elmar Lackner

Scholzite from Reaphook Hill, Australia © Mark Willoughby
Scholzite from Reaphook Hill, Australia © Rock Currier
Scholzite from Hagendorf pegmatites, Germany © Stephan Wolfsried
Scholzite from Snowstorm mine, Nevada, USA © Douglas Merson

Scholzite in the World

Scholzite is known in classical phosphate pegmatites, where it concentrates the zinc available in hydrothermal fluids : Hagendorf (Germany), Tip Top (South Dakota), but the most beautiful specimens come from Reaphook Hill near Blinman (Australia). Scholzite is present in the large zinc deposit of Broken Hill (Australia), and at Richelle, near Visé (Belgium) in supergene alteration of phosphate-bearing zinciferous sediments.

Scholzite in France

In France, scholzite is reported at the Birrity quarry near Bayonne (Pyrénées-Atlantiques).

Twinning

No twinning known for this mineral species.

Fakes and treatments

No fakes listed for this mineral species.


Hardness : 3 to 3.5
Density : 3.11 to 3.13
Fracture : Undetermined
Streak : White

TP : Translucent to transparent
RI : 1.581 to 1.599
Birefringence : 0.015
Optical character : Biaxial +
Pleochroism : None
Fluorescence : None

Solubility : -

Magnetism : NoneRadioactivity : None

ReCaptcha

This service is used to secure web forms of our website and required if you want to contact us. By accepting it you agree to Google's privacy policy: https://policies.google.com/privacy

Google Analytics

Google Analytics is a service used on our website that tracks, reports traffic and measures how users interact with our website content in order for us to improve it and provide better services.

Facebook

Our website allows you to like or share its content on Facebook social network. By activating and using it you agree to Facebook's privacy policy: https://www.facebook.com/policy/cookies/

YouTube

Integrated videos provided by YouTube are used on our website. By accepting to watch them you agree to Google's privacy policy: https://policies.google.com/privacy

Twitter

Integrated tweets and share services of Twitter are used on our website. By accepting and using these you agree to Twitter's privacy policy: https://help.twitter.com/en/rules-and-policies/twitter-cookies

PInterest

Our website allows you to share its content on PInterest social network. By activating and using it you agree to PInterest's privacy policy: https://policy.pinterest.com/en/privacy-policy/