Struvite
Mineral NH4MgPO4·6H2O
About it
Wedge-shaped, often lopsided crystals that form in bat guano, manure, and some urinary stones, and as glassy crystals in canned seafood. Named for Russian diplomat Heinrich von Struve.
- Type
- Mineral
- Group
- Phosphate
- Formula
- NH4MgPO4·6H2O
- Hardness (Mohs)
- 1.5–2
- Specific gravity
- 1.7–1.72
- Streak
- white
- Lustre
- vitreous (glassy)
- Crystal system
- Orthorhombic
- Colours
- colourless, white, yellowish, brown
- Transparency
- transparent, translucent
- Cleavage and fracture
- good in one direction; uneven fracture
Typical values: real specimens vary. For more, see mindat.org.