esperite

Also known as IMA1964-027

Esperite is a rare complex calcium lead zinc silicate (PbCa3Zn4(SiO4)4) related to beryllonite and trimerite that used to be called calcium larsenite.

Key facts

Mineral.name: Esperite
Mineral.category: Silicate mineral
Mineral.image: Esperite under UV light.jpg
Mineral.caption: Esperite under ultraviolet light
Mineral.formula: PbCa3Zn4(SiO4)4
Mineral.IMAsymbol: Epr
Mineral.strunz: 9.AB.15
Mineral.system: Monoclinic
Mineral.class: Prismatic (2/m) (same H-M symbol)
Mineral.symmetry: P21/m
Mineral.color: White
Mineral.habit: Typically massive
Mineral.cleavage: Distinct on [010] and [100] – poor on [101]
Mineral.fracture: Conchoidal, brittle
Mineral.mohs: 5–5.5
Mineral.luster: Vitreous
Mineral.refractive: nα = 1.762 nβ = 1.770 nγ = 1.774
Mineral.opticalprop: Biaxial (−), 2V measured: 5° to 40°

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Wikidata facts

Image: Esperite under UV light.jpg

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Commons category: Esperite
Nickel-Strunz 9th edition (updated 2009): 9.AB.15
Nickel-Strunz '10th ed', review of (9th ed/ 2009 update): 9.AB.15
IMA Mineral Symbol: Epr
chemical formula: PbCa₂(ZnSiO₄)₃
Strunz 8th edition (series ID, updated): VIII/A.02

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Esperite is a rare complex calcium lead zinc silicate (PbCa3Zn4(SiO4)4) related to beryllonite and trimerite that used to be called calcium larsenite.

Esperite has a white, greasy appearance in daylight and is much prized for its brilliant yellow green fluorescence under shortwave ultraviolet light. It is found in association with calcite, franklinite, willemite, hardystonite and clinohedrite. It has also been found as prismatic crystals up to 1 mm in length at the El Dragon Mine, Potosi, Bolivia in association with allophane, chalcomenite, clinochalcomenite and barite.