Kolbeckite

Kolbeckite is a rare phosphate mineral with the chemical formula ScPO4. It is a scandium phosphate and is the scandium analogue of monazite. Kolbeckite crystallizes in the monoclinic crystal system, typically appearing as prismatic or granular crystals. Its color ranges from colorless to pale yellow, brown, or green.

The mineral was first discovered in 1949 in the Glimmertal Mine, Thuringia, Germany, and was named in honor of German chemist and mineralogist Professor Karl Kolbeck. Kolbeckite is often found in metamorphic rocks, particularly schists and gneisses, and can also occur in pegmatites and hydrothermal veins. It is associated with other rare earth minerals and scandium-bearing minerals.

Due to its rarity and the relatively low concentration of scandium, kolbeckite is not a significant commercial source of the element. However, it is of interest to mineral collectors and researchers studying the geochemistry of scandium. Analysis of kolbeckite can provide insights into the geological conditions under which it formed. Its hardness is approximately 4.5 to 5 on the Mohs scale, and it has a specific gravity of around 3.6.