We have studied the phosphate mineral vantasselite Al₄(PO₄)₃(OH)₃·9H₂O using a combination of SEM with EDX and Raman and infrared spectroscopy. Qualitative chemical analysis shows Al, Fe and P. Raman bands at 1013 and 1027 cm(-1) are assigned to the PO₄(3-)ν₁ symmetric stretching mode. The observation of two bands suggests the non-equivalence of the phosphate units in the vantasselite structure. Raman bands at 1051, 1076 and 1090 cm(-1) are attributed to the PO₄(3-)ν₃ antisymmetric stretching vibration. A comparison is made with the spectroscopy of wardite. Strong infrared bands at 1044, 1078, 1092, 1112, 1133, 1180 and 1210 cm(-1) are attributed to the PO₄(3-)ν₃ antisymmetric stretching mode. Some of these bands may be due to δAl₂OH deformation modes. Vibrational spectroscopy offers a mechanism for the study of the molecular structure of vantasselite.