Variscite

Geology

• Variscite is a secondary mineral formed by direct deposition from phosphate-bearing water reacting with aluminium-rich rocks in a near-surface environment.
• It occurs as fine-grained masses in nodules, cavity fillings, and crusts.
• Variscite often contains white veins of the calcium aluminium phosphate mineral crandallite.
• It was first described in 1837 and named after the locality of Variscia, the historical name of the Vogtland in Germany.
• Variscite from Nevada typically contains black spiderwebbing in the matrix and is often confused with green turquoise.

Jewelry

• Variscite has been used in Europe for making personal ornaments, especially beads, since Neolithic times.
• Its use continued during the Bronze Age and in Roman times.
• All variscite used in Europe comes from three sites in Spain: Gavá, Palazuelo de las Cuevas, and Encinasola.
• Variscite is sometimes used as a semi-precious stone and is popular for carvings and ornamental use due to its beautiful green color.
• It is commonly used in silversmithing as a substitute for turquoise.

Gallery

• Cut slab of variscite at the Smithsonian, approximately 0.5 m wide.
• Variscite filling the cracks in siltstone from Queensland, Australia, with a view width of 11 cm.
• Polished variscite specimen from Nevada.
• Variscite and silver bolo tie with inclusions of white crandallite from Clay Canyon near Fairfield, Utah.

See also

• Variscan orogeny: Collision of tectonic plates resulting in the creation of mountains, named after Variscia in Germany.
• List of minerals.

References

• Wikimedia Commons has media related to Variscite.
• Warr, L. N. (2021). IMA–CNMNC approved mineral symbols. Mineralogical Magazine, Vol.85, no.3.
• Variscite (PDF). Handbook of Mineralogy, RRUFF Project.
• Variscite, Mindat.org.
• Variscite Mineral Data, WebMineral.com.

Variscite Data Sources