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Harrisonite
A valid IMA mineral species
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About Harrisonite
Formula:
Ca(Fe2+,Mg)6(PO4)2(SiO4)2
Colour:
Yellow-brown to orange-brown
Lustre:
Vitreous
Hardness:
4 - 5
Specific Gravity:
4.02
Crystal System:
Trigonal
Name:
Named by A.C. Roberts, J.A.R. Stirling, J.D. Grice, T. Frisch, R.K. Herd, and J.L. Jambor in 1993 in honor of James Merritt Harrison (20 September 1915, Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada – 6 July 1990, Canada), geoscientist and former Director of the Geological Survey of Canada (1956-1964). He was awarded the Logan Medal from the Geological Association of Canada in 1969.
Type Locality:
The material from Czech pegmatites is manganese- and phosphorus-bearing. The latter substitution is related to Si deficiency.
The pegmatitic occurrence suggests the mineral to be stable lower P–T conditions than these reported for the holotype (Vácha & Škoda 2022).
The pegmatitic occurrence suggests the mineral to be stable lower P–T conditions than these reported for the holotype (Vácha & Škoda 2022).
Unique Identifiers
Mindat ID:
1821
Long-form identifier:
mindat:1:1:1821:6
IMA Classification of Harrisonite
Approved
IMA Formula:
CaFe2+6(SiO4)2(PO4)2
Approval year:
1991
First published:
1993
Classification of Harrisonite
8.BH.55
8 : PHOSPHATES, ARSENATES, VANADATES
B : Phosphates, etc., with additional anions, without H2O
H : With medium-sized and large cations, (OH,etc.):RO4 = 1:1
8 : PHOSPHATES, ARSENATES, VANADATES
B : Phosphates, etc., with additional anions, without H2O
H : With medium-sized and large cations, (OH,etc.):RO4 = 1:1
Mineral Symbols
As of 2021 there are now IMA–CNMNC approved mineral symbols (abbreviations) for each mineral species, useful for tables and diagrams.
| Symbol | Source | Reference for Standard |
|---|---|---|
| Hrs | IMA–CNMNC | Warr, L.N. (2021). IMA–CNMNC approved mineral symbols. Mineralogical Magazine, 85(3), 291-320. doi:10.1180/mgm.2021.43 |
Physical Properties of Harrisonite
Vitreous
Transparency:
Transparent, Translucent
Colour:
Yellow-brown to orange-brown
Streak:
Pale yellow
Hardness:
4 - 5 on Mohs scale
Tenacity:
Brittle
Cleavage:
Poor/Indistinct
Fracture:
Conchoidal
Density:
4.02 g/cm3 (Measured) 4.01 g/cm3 (Calculated)
Optical Data of Harrisonite
Type:
Uniaxial (-)
RI values:
nω = 1.770(5) nε = 1.759(3)
2V:
Measured: 5°
Max. Birefringence:
δ = 0.011
Based on recorded range of RI values above.
Based on recorded range of RI values above.
Interference Colours:
The colours simulate birefringence patterns seen in thin section under crossed polars. They do not take into account mineral colouration or opacity.
Michel-Levy Bar The default colours simulate the birefringence range for a 30 µm thin-section thickness. Adjust the slider to simulate a different thickness.
Grain Simulation You can rotate the grain simulation to show how this range might look as you rotated a sample under crossed polars. Each grain retains its interference colour (retardation) while its brightness falls to black at extinction and reaches a maximum between extinction positions.
The colours simulate birefringence patterns seen in thin section under crossed polars. They do not take into account mineral colouration or opacity.
Michel-Levy Bar The default colours simulate the birefringence range for a 30 µm thin-section thickness. Adjust the slider to simulate a different thickness.
Grain Simulation You can rotate the grain simulation to show how this range might look as you rotated a sample under crossed polars. Each grain retains its interference colour (retardation) while its brightness falls to black at extinction and reaches a maximum between extinction positions.
Surface Relief:
Very High (positive)
Relative to Canada balsam mounting medium (n ≈ 1.537).
Relative to Canada balsam mounting medium (n ≈ 1.537).
This shows the grain boundary and Becke line effect under plane-polarised
light, based on the contrast between this mineral's average refractive
index and the mounting medium. It does not take into account mineral
colouration.
In focus
Interference Figure:
This shows the idealized uniaxial interference figure - the conoscopic
(convergent-light, Bertrand-lens-in) view, for a grain cut with the optic axis
centred and vertical. The coloured rings are isochromatics, computed with the
same physics as the Michel-Lévy bar above; the dark cross is the isogyre.
For a genuinely uniaxial mineral viewed this way, that cross stays perfectly stationary if you rotate the stage - unlike a biaxial mineral, where it splits apart on rotation. That invariance is itself the standard diagnostic test for telling uniaxial and biaxial minerals apart at the microscope.
For a genuinely uniaxial mineral viewed this way, that cross stays perfectly stationary if you rotate the stage - unlike a biaxial mineral, where it splits apart on rotation. That invariance is itself the standard diagnostic test for telling uniaxial and biaxial minerals apart at the microscope.
Pleochroism:
Weak
Comments:
Pale yellow tints
Chemistry of Harrisonite
Mindat Formula:
Ca(Fe2+,Mg)6(PO4)2(SiO4)2
Element Weights:
Common Impurities:
Mn
Crystallography of Harrisonite
Crystal System:
Trigonal
Class (H-M):
3m(32/m) - Hexagonal Scalenohedral
Space Group:
R3m
Setting:
R3m
Cell Parameters:
a = 6.248(1) Å, c = 26.802(7) Å
Ratio:
a:c = 1 : 4.29
Unit Cell V:
906.11 ų (Calculated from Unit Cell)
Z:
3
Crystal Structure
Load
Unit Cell | Unit Cell Packed
2x2x2 | 3x3x3 | 4x4x4
Unit Cell | Unit Cell Packed
2x2x2 | 3x3x3 | 4x4x4
Show
Big Balls | Small Balls | Just Balls | Spacefill
Polyhedra Off | Si Polyhedra | All Polyhedra
Remove metal-metal sticks
Big Balls | Small Balls | Just Balls | Spacefill
Polyhedra Off | Si Polyhedra | All Polyhedra
Remove metal-metal sticks
Display Options
Black Background | White Background
Perspective On | Perspective Off
2D | Stereo | Red-Blue | Red-Cyan
Black Background | White Background
Perspective On | Perspective Off
2D | Stereo | Red-Blue | Red-Cyan
View
CIF File Best | x | y | z | a | b | c
CIF File Best | x | y | z | a | b | c
Rotation
Stop | Start
Stop | Start
Labels
Console Off | On | Grey | Yellow
Console Off | On | Grey | Yellow
Data courtesy of the American Mineralogist Crystal Structure Database. Click on an AMCSD ID to view structure
| ID | Species | Reference | Link | Year | Locality | Pressure (GPa) | Temp (K) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0005340 | Harrisonite | Grice J D, Roberts A C (1993) Harrisonite, a well-ordered silico-phosphate with a layered crystal structure. Ca(Fe,Mg)6(SiO4)2(PO4)2 The Canadian Mineralogist 31 781-785 | ![]() | 1993 | Arcedeckne Island, Artic Canada | 0 | 293 |
CIF Raw Data - click here to close
X-Ray Powder Diffraction
Powder Diffraction Data:
| d-spacing | Intensity |
|---|---|
| 5.00 Å | (60) |
| 4.46 Å | (50) |
| 3.119 Å | (100) |
| 2.976 Å | (50) |
| 2.689 Å | (80) |
| 2.558 Å | (100) |
| 2.505 Å | (80) |
| 1.903 Å | (60) |
| 1.560 Å | (80) |
Geological Environment
Paragenetic Mode(s):
| Paragenetic Mode | Earliest Age (Ga) |
|---|---|
| Stage 5: Initiation of plate tectonics | <3.5-2.5 |
| 40 : Regional metamorphism (greenschist, amphibolite, granulite facies) |
Type Occurrence of Harrisonite
General Appearance of Type Material:
Discrete equidimensional anhedral grains and as a rim around fluorapatite.
Place of Conservation of Type Material:
Canadian Geological Survey, Ottawa, 66402.
Canadian Museum of Nature, Ottawa, Canada, 59685.
Canadian Museum of Nature, Ottawa, Canada, 59685.
Geological Setting of Type Material:
Iron silicate - quartz - apatite layered body found in granulite-facies gneiss.
Associated Minerals at Type Locality:
Synonyms of Harrisonite
Other Language Names for Harrisonite
Related Minerals - Strunz-mindat Grouping
| 8.BH. | Peterchinite | Zn3Zn2(OH)6As[O3(OH)3] |
| 8.BH. | Reznitskyite | CaMg(VO4)F |
| 8.BH. | Plumbogottlobite | PbMg(VO4)(OH) |
| 8.BH. | Cuprozheshengite | Pb4CuZn2(AsO4)2(PO4)2(OH)2 |
| 8.BH. | Zheshengite | Pb4ZnZn2(AsO4)2(PO4)2(OH)2 |
| 8.BH. | Crimsonite | PbFe3+2(PO4)2(OH)2 |
| 8.BH.05 | Thadeuite | Ca(Mg,Fe2+)3(PO4)2(OH,F)2 |
| 8.BH.10 | Panasqueiraite | CaMg(PO4)(OH) |
| 8.BH.10 | Isokite | CaMg(PO4)F |
| 8.BH.10 | Lacroixite | NaAl(PO4)F |
| 8.BH.10 | Arsenatrotitanite | NaTi(AsO4)O |
| 8.BH.10 | Maxwellite | NaFe3+(AsO4)F |
| 8.BH.10 | Durangite | NaAl(AsO4)F |
| 8.BH.10 | Kononovite | NaMg(SO4)F |
| 8.BH.15 | Drugmanite | Pb2Fe3+(PO4)(PO3OH)(OH)2 |
| 8.BH.20 | Nigelcookite | PbFe2+2V3+2(PO4)3(OH)3 |
| 8.BH.20 | Plumbojohntomaite | PbFe2+2Fe3+2(PO4)3(OH)3 |
| 8.BH.20 | Cirrolite | Ca3Al2(PO4)3(OH)3 (?) |
| 8.BH.20 | Penikisite | Ba(Mg,Fe2+,Ca)2Al2(PO4)3(OH)3 |
| 8.BH.20 | Perloffite | Ba(Mn2+,Fe2+)2Fe3+2(PO4)3(OH)3 |
| 8.BH.20 | Bjarebyite Group | |
| 8.BH.20 | Strontioperloffite | SrMn2+2Fe3+2(PO4)3(OH)3 |
| 8.BH.20 | Plumboperloffite | PbMn2+2Fe3+2(PO4)3(OH)3 |
| 8.BH.20 | Johntomaite | BaFe2+2Fe3+2(PO4)3(OH)3 |
| 8.BH.20 | Bjarebyite | (Ba,Sr)(Mn2+,Fe2+,Mg)2Al2(PO4)3(OH)3 |
| 8.BH.20 | Kulanite | Ba(Fe2+,Mn2+,Mg)2(Al,Fe3+)2(PO4)3(OH)3 |
| 8.BH.25 | Bertossaite | Li2CaAl4(PO4)4(OH)4 |
| 8.BH.25 | Natropalermoite | Na2SrAl4(PO4)4(OH)4 |
| 8.BH.25 | Palermoite | Li2SrAl4(PO4)4(OH)4 |
| 8.BH.30 | Sewardite | CaFe3+2(AsO4)2(OH)2 |
| 8.BH.30 | Carminite | PbFe3+2(AsO4)2(OH)2 |
| 8.BH.35 | Adelite | CaMg(AsO4)(OH) |
| 8.BH.35 | Duftite | PbCu(AsO4)(OH) |
| 8.BH.35 | Cobaltaustinite | CaCo(AsO4)(OH) |
| 8.BH.35 | Nickelaustinite | CaNi(AsO4)(OH) |
| 8.BH.35 | Gabrielsonite | PbFe3+(As3+O3)O |
| 8.BH.35 | Conichalcite | CaCu(AsO4)(OH) |
| 8.BH.35 | Arsendescloizite | PbZn(AsO4)(OH) |
| 8.BH.35 | 'Duftite-alpha' | PbCu(AsO4)(OH) |
| 8.BH.35 | Gottlobite | CaMg(VO4)(OH) |
| 8.BH.35 | Austinite | CaZn(AsO4)(OH) |
| 8.BH.35 | Hermannroseite | CaCu(PO4)(OH) |
| 8.BH.35 | Tangeite | CaCu(VO4)(OH) |
| 8.BH.40 | Čechite | PbFe2+(VO4)(OH) |
| 8.BH.40 | Khorixasite | (Bi0.67◻0.33)Cu(VO4)(OH) |
| 8.BH.40 | Mottramite | PbCu(VO4)(OH) |
| 8.BH.40 | Descloizite | PbZn(VO4)(OH) |
| 8.BH.40 | Pyrobelonite | PbMn2+(VO4)(OH) |
| 8.BH.45 | Bayldonite | PbCu3(AsO4)2(OH)2 |
| 8.BH.45 | Vésigniéite | BaCu3(VO4)2(OH)2 |
| 8.BH.50 | Paganoite | NiBi(AsO4)O |
| 8.BH.55 | Jagowerite | BaAl2(PO4)2(OH)2 |
| 8.BH.60 | Attakolite | CaMn2+Al4(SiO3OH)(PO4)3(OH)4 |
| 8.BH.65 | Leningradite | PbCu3(VO4)2Cl |
| 8.BH.70 | Katiarsite | KTiO(AsO4) |
| 8.BH.70 | Yurgensonite | K2SnTiO2(AsO4)2 |
| 8.BH.75 | Melanarsite | K3Cu7Fe3+O4(AsO4)4 |
| 8.BH.80 | Evseevite | Na2Mg(AsO4)F |
| 8.BH.80 | Moraskoite | Na2Mg(PO4)F |
| 8.BH.85 | Piccoliite | NaCaMn3+2(AsO4)2O(OH) |
Fluorescence of Harrisonite
None
Other Information
Health Risks:
No information on health risks for this material has been entered into the database. You should always treat mineral specimens with care.
Internet Links for Harrisonite
mindat.org URL:
https://www.mindat.org/min-1821.html
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References for Harrisonite
Reference List:
Roberts, A. C., Stirling, J. A. R., Grice, J. D., Frisch, T., Herd, R. K., Jambor, J. L. (1993) Harrisonite, a new calcium iron silicate-phosphate from Arcedeckne Island, District of Franklin, Arctic Canada. The Canadian Mineralogist, 31 (4) 775-780
Grice, J. D., Roberts, A. C. (1993) Harrisonite, a well-ordered silico-phosphate with a layered crystal structure. The Canadian Mineralogist, 31 (4) 781-785
Roberts, A. C., Stirling, J. A. R., Grice, J. D., Frisch, T., Herd, R. K., Jambor, J. L. (1993) Harrisonite, a new calcium iron silicate-phosphate from Arcedeckne Island, District of Franklin, Arctic Canada. The Canadian Mineralogist, 31 (4) 775-780
Jambor, John L., Roberts, Andrew C., Vanko, David A. (1994) New Mineral Names. American Mineralogist, 79 (9-10) 1009-1014
Vácha, Jakub; Škoda, Radek; Skřápková, Lenka; Komsa, Hannu-Pekka; Cempírek, Jan (2026) Vibration spectra and new structural data on natural layered silicate-phosphate harrisonite from various geological environments. Spectrochimica Acta Part A: Molecular and Biomolecular Spectroscopy, 363 (1). p.128409. doi:10.1016/j.saa.2026.128409
Localities for Harrisonite
Showing 5 localities.
Locality List
- This locality has map coordinates listed.
- This locality has estimated coordinates.
ⓘ - Click for references and further information on this occurrence.
? - Indicates mineral may be doubtful at this locality.
- Good crystals or important locality for species.
- World class for species or very significant.
(TL) - Type Locality for a valid mineral species.
(FRL) - First Recorded Locality for everything else (eg varieties).
All localities listed without proper references should be considered as questionable.
Brazil | |
| Baijot et al. (2014) |
Canada (TL) | |
| Roberts et al. (1993) |
Czech Republic | |
| Vácha et al. (2022) |
| Škoda et al. (2007) +1 other reference |
Germany | |
| Neumair et al. (2016) +1 other reference |
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The
Arcedeckne Island, Kitikmeot Region, Nunavut, Canada