PATRONITE

    Class : Sulfides and sulfosalts
    Subclass : Sulfides
    Crystal system : Monoclinic
    Chemistry : VS4
    Rarity : Very rare

Patronite is a very rare and unspectacular mineral. It is found filling cracks associated with vanadiferous asphalt. It was named in honor of the Peruvian engineer Antenor Rizo-Patron who discovered the mineral. Patronite produces gray-black to black earthy masses, exceptionally acicular crystals gathered in aggregates. It weathers on the surface into minasragrite, an extremely rare blue vanadium sulfate.

Main photo : Patronite from Ragra Mine, Pasco, Peru © Uwe Haubenreisser

Patronite in the World

Patronite is only known from Minasragra, near Cerro de Pasco (Peru), which was the world's richest deposit of vanadium. Patronite was abundant in cracks which cut red shales, associated with asphaltic materials, sulphur and various sulfides. The origin of this deposit is to be sought in the biochemical remobilization of a vanadiferous asphalt deposit. It has also been reported anecdotally in Finland, Kazakhstan, Russia and Spain.

Parsonsite in France

Patronite is not present in the French underground.

Twinning

No twin known for this mineral species.

Fakes and treatments

No fakes listed for this mineral species.


Hardness : 2
Density : 2.82
Fracture : Undetermined
Streak : Undetermined

TP : Opaque
RI : -
Birefringence : -
Optical character : -
Pleochroism : None
Fluorescence : None

Solubility : -

Magnetism : NoneRadioactivity : None