Vantasselite

Vantasselite is a rare aluminium phosphate mineral with formula: Al₄(PO₄)₃(OH)₃ •9H₂O. It crystallizes in the orthorhombic system and has a white color, a hardness of 2 to 2.5, a white streak and a pearly luster.^[3]

Vantasselite
Vantasselite, from Bihain, Vielsalm, Luxembourg Province, Belgium
General
Category	Phosphate minerals
Formula (repeating unit)	Al4(PO4)3(OH)3 •9H2O
IMA symbol	Vts[1]
Strunz classification	8.DC.37
Crystal system	Orthorhombic Unknown space group
Unit cell	a = 10.52 Å, b = 16.54 Å c = 20.37 Å; Z = 8
Identification
Color	white
Luster	pearly
References	[2]

It occurs in a quartzite quarry north of Bihain, Belgium It was first described in 1987 and named after Belgian mineralogist René Van Tassel.^[2][3]

References

1. Warr, L.N. (2021). "IMA–CNMNC approved mineral symbols". Mineralogical Magazine. 85 (3): 291–320. Bibcode:2021MinM...85..291W. doi:10.1180/mgm.2021.43. S2CID 235729616.
2. "Vantasselite Mineral Information and Data". Mindat.org. Archived from the original on April 10, 2009.
3. Anthony, John W.; Bideaux, Richard A.; Bladh, Kenneth W.; Nichols, Monte C. (2005). "Vantasselite" (PDF). Handbook of Mineralogy. Mineral Data Publishing. Archived (PDF) from the original on February 24, 2012. Retrieved June 26, 2022.