 It was first described for an occurrence in Varmland, Sweden in 1854 and named for Swedish chemist Lars Fredrik Svanberg (1805–1878).It occurs in high aluminium medium-grade metamorphic rocks; in bauxite deposits and from sulfate enriched argillic alteration ( high silica and clay) associated with hydrothermal systems often replacing apatite.It occurs with pyrophyllite, kyanite, andalusite, lazulite, augelite, alunite, kaolinite and quartz.