Document Type : Research Paper
Authors
1
Department of Minerals and groundwater resources Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran.
2
Department of Minerals and Groundwater Resources, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran.
3
Department of Mining, Faculty of Engineering, University of Kurdistan, Sanandaj, Iran.
10.22059/ijmge.2026.417714.595400
Abstract
Phosphophyllite is a one of the rare gemstones. This mineral was discovered in the Koushk Zn–Pb deposit. Phosphophyllite mineralization is generally associated with the feeder zones of the deposit. Phosphophyllite occur as cryptocrystalline form, exhibiting a color range from deep blue-green to light blue-green and greenish-white, with the most desirable specimens being blue-green. Associated minerals include smithsonite, hydrozincite, hemimorphite, fluorwavellite, and gypsum. Furthermore, XRD analysis revealed that minerals such as hopeite, parahopeite, schoonerite, mitridatite, triplite, triphylite, jahnsite-(CaMnMn), jahnsite-(CaMnZn), laueite, eosphorite and illite also occur in intergrowths with phosphophyllite. Raman spectroscopy spectrum shows that partial substitution of Mn²⁺ for Fe-phosphates within the phosphophyllite crystal structure. Raman spectroscopic results demonstrate a significant correspondence between the absorption bands of phosphophyllite at 317 and 410 cm⁻¹ and the spectral signatures of Fe, confirming that Fe²⁺ serves as the primary chromophore responsible for the mineral’s coloration. The absorption band observed at 586 cm⁻¹ is consistent with the spectral features of Mn2+; therefore, Mn can also be considered as one of the chromophore elements in the phosphophyllite. Geochemistry of phosphophyllite shows that negative correlation of ZnO versus MnO₂ and Fe₂O₃, as well as Fe₂O₃ versus MnO₂ and P₂O₅, which indicates that the presence of Zn and Fe-phosphates with partial substitution of Mn.
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