Anapaita
Anapaita is a mineral with formula Ca₂Fe²⁺(PO₄)₂·4H₂O, in the Fosfatos group. This specimen comes from Bellver de Cerdanya, Lleida, Catalunya, España.
Description
Small greenish crystals in cavities, with vitreous lustre and fibrous to tabular habit. The matrix is a septarian nodule.
History of this specimen
Aleidis? told me that to recover these pieces you had to get into a muddy area and dig about 2–3 metres until they started to appear.
About Anapaita
Anapaite is a rare mineral, a hydrated calcium–iron phosphate that forms small green crystals in cavities of limestones or fossiliferous sediments (in nodules from lacustrine settings, septarian type).
About the locality
It is not the type locality but specimens from here are very good. At Bellver de Cerdanya it occurs within nodules formed in an ancient Miocene lake: as they dried, the clay nodules cracked and anapaite crystallised in those fissures, producing specimens appreciated for their delicate aesthetics and scarcity. For this reason it is reported as a very interesting occurrence, since recovery required digging a hole two metres deep in clayey mud.
Technical data
- Catalogue No.
- 0024
- Composition
- Ca₂Fe²⁺(PO₄)₂·4H₂O
- Name
- Anapaita
- Group
- Fosfatos
- Category
- Cavella
- Matrix
- Sedimento lacustre
- Mine
- Bellver de Cerdanya
- Province
- Lleida
- Region
- Catalunya
- Country
- España
- Size (cm)
- 8 x 4.5 x 4.5
- Weight
- 183 g
- Etymology
- Anapaite was discovered as a mineral at Anapa (Crimea) in 1902.
- Quality
- Muy buena
- Value trend
- Estable
Related specimens
- Abellaíta — España
- Abernathyita — España
- Abernathyita — España
- Abernathyita — España
- Aerenita — España
- Aerinita (fibrosa) — España
- Analcima — España
- Analcima — España