kosnarite

{{Infobox mineral | name = Kosnarite | category = Alkali zirconium phosphate | boxbgcolor = | image = Kosnarite-157545.jpg | caption = | formula = KZr2(PO4)3 | IMAsymbol = Ksn | strunz = 7/A. 17-10 | system = Trigonal Hexagonal crystal family | class = Hexagonal Scalenohedral ()m ()2/m) (same H-M symbol) | symmetry = Rc | unit cell = a = 8.687 Å, c = 23.877 Å; V= 1,560.45 ų | color = Pale Blue, blue-green, or colorless | habit = Rhombohedral with tiny c pinacolid | twinning = Not observed | cleavage = Perfect at {102} | fracture = Conchoidal fracture | mohs = 4.5 | luster = Vitreous | refractive = Nw = 1.656(2) Nc = 1.682(2) | opticalprop = uniaxial (+) | birefringence = δ = 0.026 | pleochroism = | 2V = | streak = White | gravity = 3.2 | other = | melt = | fusibility = | diagnostic = | solubility = | diaphaneity = Transparent to translucent | references = }}

Kosnarite is an alkali zirconium phosphate mineral (KZr2(PO4)3) named after an expert of pegmatites Richard Andrew "Rich" Kosnar, well-known mineral dealer and collector from Colorado (November 13, 1946 - January 15, 2007). Kosnarite contains potassium, oxygen, phosphorus, and zirconium with sodium, rubidium, hafnium, manganese and fluorine (Na, Rb, Hf, Mn, and F) being common impurities found in kosnarite. It was discovered in nature for the first time in 1991 by Vandall T. King. Samples that were found in granitic pegmatites from the Mount Mica Quarry, Paris, Oxford County, Maine, US were sent to Eugene E. Foord for study. This became the first recorded case of naturally occurring kosnarite.