CARPHOLITE

    Class : Silicates
    Subclass : Inosilicates
    Crystal system : Orthorhombic
    Chemistry : MnAl2Si2O6(OH)4
    Rarity : Rare

Carpholite is an uncommon silicate of slightly metamorphic schists, in which it associates with chloritoid, spessartine and sometimes fluorite. It forms a series with ferrocarpholite. Its name comes from the Greek karphos (straw) and lithos (stone) because of its color. It is a yellow, sometimes brown mineral, which forms prismatic to fibrous crystals, grouped in radiated tufts of 2 cm at most.

Main photo : Carpholite from Krásno, Sokolov District, Karlovy Vary Region, Czech Republic © Gerard van der Veldt

Carpholite in the World

Its best sites are Horní Slavkov and Krásno (Czech Republic) where it forms centimeter-sized fibroradiated balls. It is also present in Meuville, in the Belgian Ardennes, and also in several English localities (in Cornwall and Cumbria).

Right photo : Carpholite on fluorite from Horní Slavkov, Sokolov District, Karlovy Vary Region, Czech Republic © Eugene & Sharon Cisneros

Carpholite in France

In France, we find carpholite at Mérétrice Mine in New Caledonia.

Twinning

A twin is known on {100}.

Fakes and treatments

No fake identified for this mineral species.


Hardness : 5 to 5.5
Density : 2.93 to 3.03
Fracture : Fibrous
Streak : White

TP : Translucent
RI : 1.610 to 1.630
Birefringence : 0.020
Optical character : Biaxial -
Pleochroism : Low
Fluorescence : None

Solubility : -


Magnetism : None
Radioactivity : None