Amblygonite ( /æmˈblɪɡənaɪt/) is a fluorophosphate mineral, (Li,Na)AlPO4(F,OH), composed of lithium, sodium, aluminium, phosphate, fluoride and hydroxide. The mineral occurs in pegmatite deposits and is easily mistaken for albite and other feldspars. Its density, cleavage and flame test for lithium are diagnostic. Amblygonite forms a series with montebrasite, the low fluorine endmember. Geologic occurrence is in granite pegmatites, high-temperature tin veins, and greisens. Amblygonite occurs with spodumene, apatite, lepidolite, tourmaline, and other lithium-bearing minerals in pegmatite veins. It contains about 10% lithium, and has been utilized as a source of lithium. The chief commercial sources have historically been the deposits of California and France.
Hardness:
5.5 - 6
Density:
3.11 g/cm³
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Properties
Characteristics
Cultural
Common Questions
General Info About Amblygonite
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Physical Properties of Amblygonite
Colors
Milk-white, yellow, beige, salmon-pink, pale green, light blue, grey, colourless in transmitted light
Streak
white
Hardness
5.5 - 6 , Hard
Density
3.11 g/cm³, Normal Weight
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Chemical Properties of Amblygonite
Formula
LiAl(PO4)F
Elements listed
Al, F, Li, O, P
Optical Properties of Amblygonite
Refractive Index
1.578-1.646
Birefringence
0.020-0.030
Pleochroism
Absent
Dispersion
0.014-0.015
Optical Character
Biaxial positive or negative
Characteristics of Amblygonite
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Cultural Significance of Amblygonite
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The Meaning of Amblygonite
Amblygonite has gained the nickname "The Prophet Stone" in the years since it was first found by Europeans in the nineteenth century, however, the understanding behind the name's origin is limited. It is believed that it may have been given this title in folklore because of use in divination as a "visionary stone."
The History of Amblygonite
The mineral was first discovered in Saxony by August Breithaupt in 1817, and named by him from the Greek amblus, blunt, and gonia, angle, because of the obtuse angle between the cleavages. Later it was found at Montebras, Creuse, France, and at Hebron in Maine; and because of slight differences in optical character and chemical composition the names montebrasite and hebronite have been applied to the mineral from these localities. It has been discovered in considerable quantity at Pala in San Diego county, California; Caceres, Spain; and the Black Hills of South Dakota. The largest documented single crystal of amblygonite measured 7.62×2.44×1.83 m and weighed ~102 tons.
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