Powellite
Mineral CaMoO4
About it
The molybdenum partner of scheelite, glowing golden yellow under shortwave UV. Known as small dipyramids with zeolites in the Deccan Traps of India, and as crusts on weathered molybdenite.
- Type
- Mineral
- Group
- Molybdate, scheelite group
- Formula
- CaMoO4
- Hardness (Mohs)
- 3.5–4
- Specific gravity
- 4.2–4.3
- Streak
- white to pale yellow
- Lustre
- adamantine (diamond-like), resinous, greasy
- Crystal system
- Tetragonal
- Colours
- straw yellow, greenish yellow, brown, grey, colourless, bluish
- Transparency
- transparent, translucent
- Cleavage and fracture
- indistinct; conchoidal fracture
- Under UV light
- golden yellow under shortwave UV
Typical values: real specimens vary. For more, see mindat.org.