Heterosite gallery

HETEROSITE Gallery Return to Heterosite page. Click on image for larger view

HETEROSITE Chickering Mine, Walpole, NH 6 cm specimen with heterosite (purple) and ferrisicklerite (brown) in matrix	Species: HETEROSITE & FERRISICKLERITE Locality: Chickering Mine, Walpole, NH Specimen Size: 6 cm specimen with heterosite (purple) and ferrisicklerite (brown) in matrix Field Collected: Tom Mortimer Catalog No.: Notes: Ferrisicklerite and heterosite are alteration products of the primary pegmatite phosphate triphylite.
HETEROSITE Valencia Mine, N. Groton, NH 7 cm specimen with 3 cm zone of deep purple heterosite in gray quartz	Species: HETEROSITE Locality: Valencia Mine, N. Groton, NH Specimen Size: 7 cm specimen with 3 cm zone of deep purple heterosite in gray quartz Field Collected: Tom Mortimer Catalog No.: 1619 Notes: A close look shows the heterosite occupying a partial cast of a former triphylite crystal. Minor green mitridatite is also present. When cleaned with muriatic acid, heterosite is one of the more colorful New Hampshire mineral species.
HETEROSITE Chickering Mine, Walpole, NH 4.5 cm specimen edge view with oxidized heterosite in feldspar	Species: HETEROSITE Locality: Chickering Mine, Walpole, NH Specimen Size: 4.5 cm specimen edge view with oxidized heterosite in feldspar Field Collected: Tom Mortimer Catalog No.: Notes: When collected from a mine dump, heterosite usually has a black manganese coating. The deep purple color is revealed on freshly broken surfaces or when scratched with a fingernail, as was done in the small zone at the top right of this specimen. The bright purple color of heterosite is revealed by a brief immersion in muriatic acid that removes the surficial dark manganese oxide.
HETEROSITE Chickering Mine, Walpole, NH 6 cm specimen with triphylite (blue), heterosite (purple) and ferrisicklerite (brown)	Species: TRIPHYLITE with alteration to HETEROSITE & FERRISICKLERITE Locality: Chickering Mine, Walpole, NH Specimen Size: 6 cm specimen with triphylite (blue), heterosite (purple) and ferrisicklerite (brown) Field Collected: Tom Mortimer Catalog No.: Notes: This specimen nicely illustrates the alteration of triphylite to ferrisicklerite and ferrisicklerite to heterosite.
HETEROSITE Palermo Mine, N. Groton, NH 5.5 cm specimen	Species: HETEROSITE (Fe³⁺,Mn³⁺)PO₄ (compare ferrisicklerite) Locality: Palermo Mine, N. Groton, NH Specimen Size: 5.5 cm specimen Field Collected: Specimen acquired in exchange at Gilsum Rock Swap, 1976 Catalog No.: 084 Notes:
HETEROSITE Palermo Mine, N. Groton, NH 5.5 cm specimen - reverse side	Species: HETEROSITE Locality: Palermo Mine, N. Groton, NH Specimen Size: 5.5 cm specimen - reverse side Field Collected: Specimen acquired in exchange at Gilsum Rock Swap, 1976 Catalog No.: 084 Notes: Reverse side shows alteration progression of brown ferrisicklerite to purple heterosite.
HETEROSITE Parker Mtn. Mine, Center Strafford, NH 2.6 cm specimen of massive heterosite	Species: HETEROSITE (Fe³⁺,Mn³⁺)[PO₄] Locality: Parker Mtn. Mine, Center Strafford, NH Specimen Size: 2.6 cm specimen of massive heterosite Field Collected: Don Swenson Catalog No.: 1372 Notes:
HETEROSITE Parker Mtn. Mine, Center Strafford, NH 5.5 cm specimen. Heterosite on smoky quartz.	Species: HETEROSITE Locality: Parker Mtn. Mine, Center Strafford, NH Specimen Size: 5.5 cm specimen. Heterosite on smoky quartz. Field Collected: Bob Janules Catalog No.: A Bob Janules specimen Notes:
HETEROSITE E.E. Smith Mine, Alexanderia, NH 2.7 cm specimen	Species: HETEROSITE Locality: E.E. Smith Mine, Alexanderia, NH Specimen Size: 2.7 cm specimen Field Collected: Tom Mortimer 2006 Catalog No.: 1539 Notes: The deep purple color of heterosite is just evident in the top portion of the specimen. A brief dip in muriatic acid would allow the bright purple color to come out. This is the appearence of heterosite as a collector would find it on a mine dump.