The mineral can be found in phosphatic shales and was first discovered in the Big Fish River area in Yukon Territory, Canada.

Holtedahlite, a mineral that was found in Tingelstadtjern quarry in Norway, with the formula (Mg12PO4)5(PO3OH,CO3)(OH,O)6 is isostructural with satterlyite (Raade, 1979).

Infrared absorption powder spectra show that satterlyite is different from natural haltedahlite in that there is no carbonate for phosphate substitution (Kolitsch, 2002).

Electron paramagnetic resonance and optical absorption studies have investigated the iron phosphate mineral satterlyite and gormanite.

Results of the optical studies show that both minerals have ferrous and ferric ions (Chandrasekhar, 2003).

Jack Satterly, a geologist at Ontario Department of Mines in Canada, discovered satterlyite in nodules in shale in the Big Fish River (Mandarino, 1978).