2.5" Rough Purple Purpurite Manganese Mineral Specimen Location Namibia

Location: Namibia

Weight: 2.6 Ounces 

Dimensions: 2.5 Inches Long, 1.7 Inches Wide, 1.1 Inches Thick

The item pictured is the one you will receive. 

Purpurite is a rare manganese iron phosphate mineral renowned for its striking purple hue. Its name derives from the Latin word purpura, meaning purple. The mineral typically occurs in shades ranging from deep violet to reddish-purple and is primarily composed of manganese phosphate, with the chemical formula MnPO₄·H₂O. Variations in iron content can influence the intensity and tone of its coloration.

Purpurite is a secondary mineral, forming through the alteration of primary manganese-bearing minerals such as lithiophilite and triphylite. This transformation commonly takes place in phosphate-rich environments, particularly within granite pegmatites.

Physical Properties of Purpurite:

• Color: Violet to deep red/pink

• Hardness: 4–4.5 on the Mohs scale

• Crystal Structure: Orthorhombic

• Luster: Dull to earthy or satiny

• Transparency: Typically translucent to opaque