Hureaulite Gemstone: Properties, Meanings, Value & More

Hureaulite is a commonly pink crystal mostly known among collectors. The stone can also be gorgeous sunset-esque shades of rose to orange.

In terms of rarity, hureaulite is found in many locations around the world but rarely as gem-quality material. Plus, hureaulite is soft, making cut hureaulite gemstones even rarer.

That doesn’t make hureaulite any less mesmerizing, though. That’s why we’ve harnessed our years of experience and expertise to bring you this comprehensive guide to hureaulite’s traits, value, history, and more!

Pictured above:  Rough hureauilite crystal specimen from Brazil | Image credit: Strickja, Public domain

About Hureaulite Stone

Hureaulite is a rare semi-precious gemstone often found in shades of pink, though you can also find hues ranging from colorless to orange to even violet-rose sometimes.

Former (now discredited) names for hureaulite are:

• Baldaufite

• Huraulite

• Palate

• Pseudopalaite

The last two are now considered hureaulite varieties, but we’ll get into those later.

While synthetic hureaulites haven’t been made for gemstones, they have been created for research since 1904.

Recently, researchers in 2020 studied synthetic hureaulite as a tool in creating lithiophilite nanoparticles, which many scientists hope to use for creating rechargeable lithium-ion batteries.

Pictured above:  Close-up image of pink hureaulite and black barbasaloite in a specimen from Brazil | Image credit: Didier Descouens, CC-BY-SA-4.0

Hureaulite Specifications & Characteristics

By definition, hureaulite is a hydrated manganese phosphate mineral.

Therefore, hurealite’s formula can be written as Mn5(PO4)2[(PO3)(OH)]2·4H2O or more often as Mn2+5(PO3OH)2(PO4)2·4H2O. The latter is approved by the International Mineralogical Association (IMA).

Some hureaulites contain iron substituting for manganese, occasionally with more iron than manganese.

Hureaulite is in the eponymous mineral group alongside:

• Chongite

• Giftgrubeite

• Miguelromeroite

• Nyholmite

• Sainfeldite

• Villyaellenite

In terms of habits, individual hureaulite crystals may be short & prismatic, tabular & thick, or equant. Prismatic crystals often have sloping terminations (ends). Hurealite crystals can also be found in groups which are sometimes fascicled (bundled clusters resembling pine needles).

Less often, hureaulite occurs in massive, imperfectly fibrous, compact, or scaly habits.

Hureaulite properties listed:

• Mohs hardness: 3.5

• Color: Shades of pink (including light pink, rose, violet-rose, salmon), yellow, yellowish-brown, orange, red-orange, red, reddish-brown, amber, gray, colorless

• Crystal structure: Monoclinic

• Luster: Usually greasy or sub-vitreous; Sometimes vitreous

• Transparency: Translucent to transparent

• Refractive index: 1.637-1.671; Higher with more iron substituting for manganese

• Density: 3.15-3.20

• Cleavage: Distinct/good on {100}

• Fracture: Irregular/uneven

• Streak: Nearly white

• Luminescence: None

• Pleochroism: Present; Colorless, yellow or light pink, and reddish-yellow or reddish-brown

• Birefringence: 0.012-0.015

• Dispersion: Very strong & crossed

Pictured above: Historic phosphate nodule of layered brown or black sicklerite outside and reddish to pink hureaulite inside, formerly called palaite; William Larson Collection | Image credit: Rob Lavinsky, iRocks.com – CC-BY-SA-3.0

Types of Hureaulite

Hureaulite has two varieties: bastinite and palaite.

Bastinite

Bastinite is a lithium-bearing hureaulite variety often found as light pink or colorless platy crystals (composed of plate-like layers). Unlike hureaulite, bastinite is non-pleochroic with no cleavage.

In 1946, American geologist Daniel Jerome Fisher recorded the first discovery of bastinite within granite pegmatites in South Dakota, USA.

Fisher named the mineral after his colleague Edson Sunderland Bastin to honor Bastin’s contributions to granite pegmatite research.

Palaite

American mineralogist Waldemar Schaller found a seemingly new hydrous manganese phosphate mineral in Pala, California (USA) in 1912. He named it “palaite” after its discovery locale.

Schaller also noted that the crystal was flesh-colored & non-pleochroic, formed from altered lithiophilite, and had a slightly lower refractive index than that of hureaulite. He also stated that palaite alters into hureaulite.

In 1933, mineralogist Amilcar Mario de Jesus reported on another seemingly new mineral — this time from Portugal — that slightly differed from palaite. He called it “pseudopalaite.”

In the 1940s and 1950s,, scientists discredited “palaite” and “pseudopalaite” after finding both were hureaulite varieties.

Metaphysically, what is hureaulite’s spiritual meaning?

Pictured above: Rough hureaulite crystal from Germany | Image credit: Christian Rewitzer

Hureaulite Meaning & History

Spiritually, hureaulite is associated with Kundalini, a divine feminine (devī) energy in Hinduism believed to bring you to spiritual freedom (moksha) when awakened properly.

Additionally, hureaulite can symbolize love, contentment, and acceptance.

History

French chemist and pharmacist Louis Nicolas Vauquelin wrote the first description of this mineral in 1825. Vauquelin called it “huraulite” after its discovery in Les Hureaux, France.

French geologist, mineralogist, and porcelain manufacturer François Alluaud II renamed (or rather, respelled) the mineral “hureaulite” in 1825.

For over 180 years, many sources spelled the stone’s name as “huréaulite.”

This spelling was officially redefined as “hureaulite” in 2008 by Ernst A.J. Burke, Chairman of the IMA’s Commission on New Minerals, Nomenclature and Classification (CNMNC) at the time.

Hureaulite Healing Properties

As a primarily pink healing stone, hureaulite has the loving and nurturing properties of other pink gemstones. The crystal can also be used as a root (base) or heart chakra stone.

Physical Healing

Physically, hureaulite is believed to treat issues related to:

• Reproductive organs

• Libido

• Cognition

• Fatigue

Emotional Healing

Crystal healers also recommend hureaulite for:

• Encouraging bravery in the face of fear

• Helping you focus, especially during meditation

• Stimulating creativity

• Releasing bitterness

• Enhancing intuition

• Boosting emotional resilience

Pictured above: Matrix specimen with glassy, salmon-colored hureaulite crystals in rosettes | Image credit: Rob Lavinsky, iRocks.com – CC-BY-SA-3.0

Hureaulite Gemstone Properties

Since hureaulite is rarely cut into gemstones, it doesn’t have standard grading criteria. But we’ll still go over how the typical factors can affect hureaulite’s value:

• Color: Most hureaulites are near colorless or pink (thanks to high manganese content), but highly saturated pink stones may be valuable. Rarer colors include violet-rose plus red, orange, or yellow shades — these are valuable for their scarcity and even more so if the coloring is vibrant.

• Cut: Currently, hureaulite crystals have not been faceted into gems. Massive material could be cut into cabochons, but these are also rare. Most hureaulite available is rough (uncut).

• Transparency: Hureaulites that are more transparent may be more valuable.

• Luster: Many hureaulite specimens have a more greasy luster, so specimens that are more vitreous (glassy) can be more valuable.

• Carat Weight / Size: In the future, faceted hureaulite gems may be cut but would likely be small. Most hureaulites are rough specimens which can be hundreds of carats.

Speaking of rough specimens, how does hureaulite form?

Pictured above: Colorful specimen, featuring the two rare phosphates reddingite and hureaulite, from Brazil | Image credit: Rob Lavinsky, iRocks.com – CC-BY-SA-3.0

Hureaulite Formation & Sources

Hureaulite minerals are secondary, meaning they form when other (primary) minerals undergo alteration.

Most often, hureaulite forms after phosphate minerals like triphylite are altered in granite pegmatites.

Commonly associated minerals include:

• Cacoxenite

• Correianevesite

• Dickinsonite

• Eosphorite

• Fairfieldite

• Heterosite

• Lithiophilite

• Phosphosiderite

• Rockbridgeite

• Roscherite

• Stewartite

• Strengite

• Triphylite

• Vivianite

Mining Locations

You can find hureaulite specimens from numerous places around the world, but gem-quality sources are much more scarce.

Gem-quality hureaulite material comes from:

• Brazil

• France

• Germany

• Poland

• Portugal

• USA (California, Connecticut, New Hampshire, North Carolina, South Dakota)

Pictured above: Intensely rich-colored hureaulite crystal cluster with lustrous brown reddingite | Image credit: Rob Lavinsky, iRocks.com – CC-BY-SA-3.0

Hureaulite Price & Value

Cut hureaulites are rare to unknown, including both faceted hureaulites and cabochons.

Almost all hureaulite for sale is available as rough specimens.

The most expensive hureaulite specimens are large, well-formed crystal clusters often with bright pink coloring. These may be attached to other rare minerals like rockbridgeite or correianevesite. They go for around $80 to $2,250.

Mid-range hureaulite specimens are typically pink or orange and go for $50 to $75. These may be crystals or large, massive specimens.

The most affordable hureaulites are small crystals or crystal clusters, in the colors white, brown, or salmon-pink. These cost around $10 to $45 each.

Hureaulite Care and Maintenance

Given hureaulite’s hardness, distinct cleavage, and brittle tenacity, gentle gemstone care is required. We don’t recommend wearing hureaulite jewelry, even with protective settings.

Hureaulite is also sensitive to acids, so keep it away from anything acidic or it will dissolve easily.

Clean hureaulite carefully with warm water, mild soap, and a lint-free microfiber cloth. Store separately from other gems to avoid scratches.

Is Your Heart Set on Hureaulite?

One of the many lesser-known gemstones, hureaulite crystals are underrated treasures. Hurealite’s softness matches its nurturing pink hues, while its lustrous appearance and divine spirituality bring healing warmth and light.

Buy hureaulite and other rare gemstones today!