| Nevadaite | |
|---|---|
|   Nevadaite - radial habit. Attribution: Leon Hupperichs | |
| General | |
| Category | Phosphate minerals | 
| Formula | see text | 
| IMA symbol | Nev [1] | 
| Strunz classification | 8.DC.60 | 
| Crystal system | Orthorhombic | 
| Crystal class | Disphenoidal (222) H-M symbol: (222) | 
| Space group | P21mn | 
| Unit cell | a = 12.123 Å b = 18.999 Å c = 4.961 Å; Z = 1 | 
| Identification | |
| Color | Pale Green, turquoise | 
| Crystal habit | Acicular, crystalline, radial | 
| Cleavage | None | 
| Fracture | Conchoidal | 
| Mohs scale hardness | 3 | 
| Luster | Vitreous | 
| Streak | pale blue | 
| Diaphaneity | Translucent | 
| Specific gravity | 2.54 | 
| Optical properties | Biaxial (-) | 
| References | [2] | 
Nevadaite is a rare phosphate mineral with a chemical formula [3] of
| Cu2Zn0.02V3+0.98Al1.15Al8P7.9O32F8.37(OH)1.63(H2O)21.65 | 
Nevadaite is a pale-green to turquoise colored mineral belonging to the phosphate group. It exhibits a radial crystal habit consisting of prismatic crystals covering areas up to 2 cm. It has a pale-blue streak, a vitreous luster, and is not fluorescent. Nevadaite is in the orthorhombic crystal system and displays conchoidal fracture. [2]
 
  
 Nevadaite was first discovered in the Gold Quarry mine near the town of Carlin, Eureka County, Nevada. [4] The unique conditions and amounts of phosphate, vanadate, arsenate, and uranate in this area led to the formation of two new minerals; one being nevadaite and the other being goldquarryite. The Gold Quarry mine has been operated by The Newmont Mining Corporation since 1985 for the extraction of Carlin-type gold deposits. [3]
Nevadaite was discovered in February 1992 by Martin C. Jensen and was approved by the International Mineralogical Association in 2002. [3] It is also found in a copper mine in Kyrgyzstan.