Cheralite Explained

Cheralite is an anhydrous phosphate mineral with the ideal chemical formula CaTh(PO₄)₂.^{[1] [2]} It is isomorphous with huttonite and monazite. It can be regarded as the product of the complete cationic substitution in the system:

2 LREE³⁺ ↔ Ca²⁺ + Th⁴⁺.

It was previously known under the name brabantite.

Physical properties:

!Property!Value

Lustre	Vitreous
Description	Dull or greasy
Colour	Grayish brown to reddish brown (on rims), pale yellow, brownish green
Hardness	5 on Mohs scale
Density	4.72 - 5.02 g/cm^3

References

1. Web site: Tripartite division of the system 2REEPO4-CaTh (PO4)2-2ThSiO4, discreditation of brabantite, and recognition of cheralite as the name for members dominated by CaTh(PO4)2, Canadian Mineralogist 45 (2007) 503-508. May 11, 2018. Kees Linthout.
2. https://www.mindat.org/min-6865.html Cheralite on Mindat.org