Brushite is a

phosphate mineral Phosphate minerals are minerals that contain the tetrahedrally coordinated phosphate () anion, sometimes with arsenate () and vanadate () substitutions, along with chloride (Cl−), fluoride (F−), and hydroxide (OH−) anions, that also fit in ...

with the chemical formula . Crystals of the pure compound belong to the monoclinic

space group In mathematics, physics and chemistry, a space group is the symmetry group of a repeating pattern in space, usually in three dimensions. The elements of a space group (its symmetry operations) are the rigid transformations of the pattern that ...

C2/c and are colorless.Brishite
Webmineral It is the phosphate analogue of the

arsenate The arsenate is an ion with the chemical formula . Bonding in arsenate consists of a central arsenic atom, with oxidation state +5, double bonded to one oxygen atom and single bonded to a further three oxygen atoms. The four oxygen atoms orien ...

pharmacolite.

Discovery and occurrence

Brushite was first described in 1865 as an occurrence on Aves Island, Nueva Esparta,

Venezuela Venezuela, officially the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, is a country on the northern coast of South America, consisting of a continental landmass and many Federal Dependencies of Venezuela, islands and islets in the Caribbean Sea. It com ...

, and named for the American mineralogist George Jarvis Brush (1831–1912). It is believed to be a precursor of

apatite Apatite is a group of phosphate minerals, usually hydroxyapatite, fluorapatite and chlorapatite, with high concentrations of Hydroxide, OH−, Fluoride, F− and Chloride, Cl− ion, respectively, in the crystal. The formula of the admixture of ...

and is found in

guano Guano (Spanish from ) is the accumulated excrement of seabirds or bats. Guano is a highly effective fertiliser due to the high content of nitrogen, phosphate, and potassium, all key nutrients essential for plant growth. Guano was also, to a le ...

-rich caves, formed by the interaction of guano with

calcite Calcite is a Carbonate minerals, carbonate mineral and the most stable Polymorphism (materials science), polymorph of calcium carbonate (CaCO3). It is a very common mineral, particularly as a component of limestone. Calcite defines hardness 3 on ...

and

clay Clay is a type of fine-grained natural soil material containing clay minerals (hydrous aluminium phyllosilicates, e.g. kaolinite, ). Most pure clay minerals are white or light-coloured, but natural clays show a variety of colours from impuriti ...

at a low pH. It occurs in

phosphorite Phosphorite, phosphate rock or rock phosphate is a non-detrital sedimentary rock that contains high amounts of phosphate minerals. The phosphate content of phosphorite (or grade of phosphate rock) varies greatly, from 4% to 20% phosphorus pentoxi ...

deposits and forms encrustations on old bones. It may result from the runoff of fields which have received heavy fertilizer applications. Associated minerals include tanarakite, ardealite,

hydroxylapatite Hydroxyapatite ( IMA name: hydroxylapatite) (Hap, HAp, or HA) is a naturally occurring mineral form of calcium apatite with the formula , often written to denote that the crystal unit cell comprises two entities. It is the hydroxyl endmembe ...

, variscite and

gypsum Gypsum is a soft sulfate mineral composed of calcium sulfate Hydrate, dihydrate, with the chemical formula . It is widely mined and is used as a fertilizer and as the main constituent in many forms of plaster, drywall and blackboard or sidewalk ...

. Brushite is the original precipitating material in calcium phosphate

kidney stones Kidney stone disease (known as nephrolithiasis, renal calculus disease, or urolithiasis) is a crystallopathy and occurs when there are too many minerals in the urine and not enough liquid or hydration. This imbalance causes tiny pieces of cr ...

. It is also one of the minerals present in dental calculi.

References

{{Phosphate-mineral-stub Calcium minerals Phosphate minerals Cave minerals Monoclinic minerals Minerals in space group 9