Childrenite Value, Price, and Jewelry Information

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CHILDRENITE: Brazil (1.37). Photo © Joel E. Arem, PhD, FGA. Used with permission.

Cut childrenite is a great rarity, and all gems are small. Cut eosphorite is more abundantly available, though both materials are very scarce.

Childrenite Information

Data	Value
Name	Childrenite
Colors	Brown to yellowish brown, golden yellow.
Hardness	5
Fracture	Uneven to subconchoidal
Cleavage	Poor
Stone Sizes	Childrenite occurs in brown, opaque crystals up to several inches long. Transparent material is much smaller, and facetable crystals yield stones up to about 3-4 carats. In general, cuttable material in this series is closer to the eosphorite end. Devonian Group (Calgary, Alberta, Canada): 3.58 (Brazil).
Formula	(Fe,Mn)AIPO₄(OH)₂ · H₂O
Crystallography	Orthorhombic. Crystals equant, pyramidal, platy, often doubly terminated.
Refractive Index	1.63-1.685
Birefringence	0.030-0.040.
Luminescence	None.
Luminescence Present	No
Absorption Spectrum	May show lines of iron spectrum.
Pleochroism	Distinct: yellow/pink/colorless to pale pink.
Optics	a = 1.63-1.645; β = 1.65-1.68; γ = 1.66-1.685. Biaxial (-), 2V= 40-45°.
Optic Sign	Biaxial -
Luster	Vitreous to resinous.
Specific Gravity	3.2 (pure Fe end member).
Transparency	Transparent to opaque.

Series to Eosphorite if Mn exceeds Fe.

OPTICS: a = 1.63-1.645; β = 1.65-1.68; γ = 1.66-1.685. Biaxial (-), 2V= 40-45°.

OCCURRENCE: In granite pegmatites and hydrothermal vein deposits.

Cornwall, England; Greifenstein Germany; Custer, South Dakota.

Minas Gerais, Brazil: gemmy crystals. These are found to be Fe: Mn = 1:1 and could be called childro-eosphorite.

COMMENTS: Cut childrenite is a great rarity, and all gems are small. Cut eosphorite is more abundantly available, though both materials are very scarce.

NAME: J. G. Children, English mineralogist.