Churchite-(Y) (rare phosphate - Type Locality) van Tichelen Coll.

Item Description

Churchite-(Y) is a rare hydrated yttrium phosphate, a member of the Gypsum Supergroup. Named in 1865, this rich and showy piece is from the Type Locality, an ancient extinct iron mine. Mineral specimens of any type are uncommon from here. Tiny radial sprays of white needles and oxide-coated spherules of churchite are richly clustered on one face and are scattered elsewhere on the hefty massive limonite matrix. Rich, excellent and rare material from the Wouter van Tichelen Collection.