Väyrynenite

Väyrynenite is a very rare collector’s gem rarely seen in the gem market. Väyrynenite is found in facet grade in a couple locations; Afghanistan and Pakistan. It was discovered at Viitaniemi, Erajarvi, Finland, but not gem grade. Very few gems are known to exist and are typically very small and heavily included. Colors are pale pink to rose red. To mineral collectors, Väyrynenite is considered one of the “holy grails” of rare Pakistani and Afghani mineral species. The other is Triplite which comes from the same regions.

Distribution: In the Viitaniemi pegmatite, near Erääjärvi, Finland. From the Norrö pegmatite, on Rånö Island, and from near Kapelludden, Utö Island, Sweden. In the Bendada pegmatite, near Guarda, Portugal. At the Fregeneda pegmatite, Salamanca Province, Spain. From the Kalba Range, eastern Kazakhstan. Large crystals found in Broghul Pass, Chitral Valley, Pakistan.

Category: Phosphate mineral
Chemical Formula: Mn2+Be(PO4)(OH)
Manganese Beryllium Phosphate Hydroxide
  Molecular Weight: 176.43 gm
Composition: Manganese 31.14 % Mn 40.21 % MnO
Beryllium 5.11 % Be 14.18 % BeO
Phosphorus 17.56 % P 40.23 % P2O5
Hydrogen 0.43 % H 3.83 % H2O
Oxygen 43.08 % O
Fluorine 2.79 % F 2.69 % F
     –  % F -1.13 % -O=F2
  100.00 % 100.00 % = TOTAL OXIDE

 

Crystallography: Monoclinic – Prismatic
Crystal Habit: Rare prismatic crystals, elongated and striated, a number of additional modifying forms, to 6 cm; typically in fine-grained aggregates.
Twinning: None

 

Cleavage: Perfect on {010}, Good on {100}, Fair on {001}
Fracture: Uneven/Irregular
Tenacity: Brittle
Moh’s Hardness: 5.0
Density: 3.183 – 3.215 (g/cm3)
Luminescence: None
Radioactivity: Not Radioactive

 

Color: Rose-Red, Salmon-Pink, pale Pink, Brownish Pink, pale Gray
Transparency: Transparent to Translucent
Luster: Vitreous
Refractive Index: 1.638 – 1.667  Biaxial ( – )
Birefringence: 0.0260 – 0.0270
Dispersion: Weak to Moderate; r > v
Pleochroism: Visible; X = orangish; Y = red; Z = dark red