Footemineite is a rare calcium manganese beryllium phosphate, typically yellow. It occurs in thin fractures crossing quartz-microcline-spodumene pegmatite. It was first described from the Foote Lithium Co. mine (Foote mine), Kings Mountain, Cleveland Co., North Carolina, USA.
Is this footemineite?
5-step field checkRun through these checks against the specimen in your hand. The more boxes tick, the more confident the ID.
- 1Test the hardnessTry to scratch footemineite with a known reference. Footemineite sits at Mohs 4.5-5, softer than the next harder reference, harder than the previous one.
- 2Check the streakDrag the specimen across an unglazed porcelain plate. Footemineite leaves a white streak.
- 3Read the lusterHold the specimen under a strong light. Footemineite typically shows a vitreous to pearly luster.
- 4Match the color rangeCompare against the expected color range: yellow.
- 5Look at form & habitCrystal system: triclinic. Typical habit: tabular crystals, radiating aggregates.
Often confused with
Footemineite vs. its common look-alikes, and how to tell them apart in the field.
How to tell apart: Streak differs, so Footemineite leaves white, Sarkinite leaves rose-red to yellow; luster reads vitreous to pearly on Footemineite and greasy on Sarkinite.
How to tell apart: Streak differs, so Footemineite leaves white, Allactite leaves light brown; luster reads vitreous to pearly on Footemineite and vitreous on Allactite.
Often found alongside footemineite
Minerals reported to co-occur with footemineite. Spotting these in float or country rock is a strong cue you are in the right ground.
All properties
- Chemical formula
- Ca₂Mn²⁺₅Be₄(PO₄)₆(OH)₄·6H₂O
- Mohs hardness
- 4.5-5
- Density
- 2.8731 g/cm³
- Colors
- Streak
- White
- Luster
- Vitreous to Pearly
- Transparency
- Transparent
- Crystal system
- Triclinic
- Crystal habit
- Tabular Crystals, Radiating Aggregates
- Cleavage
- Good
- Rarity
- Rare
- Uses
- Collector
- Host rock
- Granite Pegmatites
Where rockhounds find footemineite
Classic worldwide localities
- Foote Mine, North Carolina, USA
Field-hunting tip
Look in granite pegmatites country, the host setting where footemineite typically forms. If you start seeing sarkinite, allactite, spessartine in float, you are in the right ground. Field specimens usually show a tabular crystals, radiating aggregates habit, so train your eye for that shape before scanning the outcrop.
Common questions
How do you identify footemineite?+
Where is footemineite found?+
What rocks look like footemineite?+
What minerals are found with footemineite?+
What kind of rock does footemineite form in?+
What is footemineite used for?+
Find footemineite on the map
RockHoundR shows mapped rockhounding spots, access rules, and lets you log every find.
