Ludlamita
Ludlamita is a mineral with formula Fe₂(PO₄)₂·4H₂O, in the Fosfatos group. This specimen comes from Cabeça de Cachorro, São Gabriel da Cachoeira, Amazonas, Brasil and joined the Terrium collection in 2025.
Description
Emerald-green prismatic ludlamite crystals with highly lustrous faces, parallel growth and well-defined edges. Three-dimensional arrangement on a brown, nodular-textured matrix.
About Ludlamita
Uncommon on the market. Ludlamite forms in phosphate-rich hydrothermal environments. Its deep green colour, vitreous lustre and prismatic habit make it much valued. It can be confused with vivianite, but it is more stable. Much Brazilian ludlamite occurs on rather unattractive rocky and sandy matrices, though with well-formed crystals.
About the locality
The Cabeça do Cachorro region, in the heart of the Brazilian Amazon, hosts little-worked deposits. Ludlamite from this area became known at Sainte-Marie-aux-Mines in 2019 for its superior quality. However, many ludlamite and vivianite specimens from Brazil on the market have been extracted illegally from protected areas, such as indigenous lands or national parks. Discovered in 2017–18; by the following year it was already at Sainte-Marie-aux-Mines.
Technical data
- Catalogue No.
- 0037
- Composition
- Fe₂(PO₄)₂·4H₂O
- Name
- Ludlamita
- Group
- Fosfatos
- Category
- Meritum Persé
- Matrix
- Matriz terrosa nodular
- Mine
- Cabeça de Cachorro
- District / Municipality
- São Gabriel da Cachoeira
- Province
- Amazonas
- Country
- Brasil
- Size (cm)
- 4 x 4.5
- Weight
- 43 g
- Acquired
- 2025
- Etymology
- Named in honour of Thomas L. Ludlam, a 19th-century American collector.
- Quality
- Muy buena
- Value trend
- Estable