A vibrational spectroscopic study of the phosphate mineral churchite (REE)(PO4)⋅2H2O

• We have undertaken a study of the phosphate mineral churchite.
• EDX analysis shows a rare earth phosphate.
• SEM shows lone acicular crystals.
• The mineral is characterized by its vibrational spectra.

Vibrational spectroscopy has been used to study the rare earth mineral churchite of formula (REE)(PO4)⋅2H2O. The mineral contains a range of rare earth metals including yttrium depending on the locality. The Raman spectra of churchite-(REE) are characterized by an intense sharp band at 984 cm−1 assigned to the ν1(PO43-) symmetric stretching mode. A lower intensity band observed at around 1067 cm−1 is attributed to the ν3(PO43-) antisymmetric stretching mode. The (PO43-) bending modes are observed at 497 cm−1 (ν2) and 565 cm−1(ν4). Raman bands at 649 and 681 cm−1 are assigned to water librational modes. Vibrational spectroscopy enables aspects of the structure of churchite to be ascertained.

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