Minerals of the Chickering Mine Walpole, NH        LUDLAMITE     (Fe,Mn,Mg)3(PO4)2·4H2O            Back to Chickering front page.
Specimen owner ID's (capitals): TM = Tom Mortimer, BW = Bob Wilken, BJ = Bob Janules, PC = Peter Cristofono, AW = Anna Wilken
Photographer ID's (lower case).
Identification: Qualitative EDS analysis. See discussion below.
Discussion: [TM] Photo LUD_2, these yellow-waxy micro xls have the same form as the milky-gray blocky xls. Most of these (that I have) look like they were sprayed with varnish! Many/most of these xls, when broken, appear to have an amorphous interior. Given Day's analysis, I wonder if santabarbarite fits? Santabarbarite is a yellowish-brown amorphous Fe3(PO4)2 mineral. I have had five specimens in this series analyzed by Kerry Day (Ottawa):

LUD_1 "waxy gray-green blocky, with somewhat resonous coating" (coating removed prior to analysis.)
LUD_1 analysis: a (Fe,Mn)2(PO4) species
EDS detector counts: "P(2.01)=1055; Mn(5.90)=99; Fe(6.40)=1053; Background 3/10 = 65/18"

LUD_2 Waxy yellow
LUD_2 analysis: a (Fe,Mn)2(PO4) species
EDS detector counts: "P(2.01)=990; Ca(3.69)=89; Mn(5.90)=150; Fe(6.40)=1219; Backgorund 3/10 = 41/22"

LUD_3 (TM catalog #1474) "Yellow waxy." Analysis grain from a large (TN sized) mass of yellow-waxy xls... like LUD_2 photo.
EDS analysis "a (Fe,Mn)3 (PO4)2 species or a (Fe,Mn)2(PO4) species"

Analysis on specimen similar to LUD_2: Pale yellow blocky, a fresh broken surface.
EDS analysis "Such a low P content suggests to me (Day) that this material is altered."

LUD_5 (polished grain analysis, 11/30/10). EDS analysis This LUD_5 specimen is closest in appearance to the typical glassy, apple-green, Palermo ludlamite. It is a good reference plot for other Chickering "ludlamites."
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LUDLAMITE      0.5 mm milky-gray crystal      TM - Oct 2010      Photo: LUD_1   [tm]
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LUDLAMITE-altered?      2.5 mm field of view      TM - 2006 ?      Photo: LUD_2   [tm]

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LUDLAMITE-altered?      2.7 cm specimen (EDS analyzed, "M28")      TM #1474 - OCt 2006      Photo: LUD_3   [tm]

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LUDLAMITE      5 mm field of view with pale glassy apple-green ludlamite cleavages      TM      Photo: LUD_5   [tm]
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LUDLAMITE      2.6 mm field of view. Blocky ludlamite crystals.      BW      Photo: LUD_6   [bw]