TRIPLITE

phosphate mineral, consisting of manganese, iron, magnesium, and calcium phosphate [(Mn, Fe, Mg, Ca)2PO4(F,OH)]. It occurs as brightly coloured (brown, salmon, flesh-red) masses in granite pegmatites, notably in Bavaria, Ger.; Kimito, Fin.; Karibib, Namibia; and Maine, Connecticut, and Colorado in the United States. Its surfaces are usually altered, often to vivianite or wad. For detailed physical properties, see phosphate mineral (table).