Apatite Mineral Data

Apatite Mineral Data +

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General Apatite Information

Chemical Formula:

Ca5(PO4)3(OH,F,Cl)

Composition:

Molecular Weight = 509.12 gm

Calcium 39.36 % Ca 55.07 % CaO

Phosphorus 18.25 % P 41.82 % P₂O₅

Hydrogen 0.07 % H 0.59 % H₂O

Chlorine 2.32 % Cl 2.32 % Cl

- % Cl -0.52 % -O=Cl₂

Oxygen 38.76 % O

Fluorine 1.24 % F 1.24 % F

- % F -0.52 % -O=F₂

______ ______

100.00 % 100.00 % = TOTAL OXIDE

Empirical Formula:

Ca₅(PO₄)₃(OH)_0.3333F_0.3333Cl_0.3333

Environment:

Apatite is now a group name for a series of related minerals.

IMA Status:

Not Approved IMA

Locality:

Common world wide. Link to MinDat.org Location Data.

Name Origin:

Named in 1788 from the Greek apatao - "I am misleading."

Synonym:

Davisonite-mixture with crandallite

Dennisonite-mixture with crandallite

Apatite Image

Images:

Apatite Carbonate-fluorapatite

Comments: Pink, colliform carbonate-fluorapatite on matrix.
Location: Tip Top mine, Custer, Custer County, South Dakota, USA. Scale: Size Not Given.
© Lou Perloff / Photo Atlas of Minerals

Images:

Apatite Fluorapatite Beryl Muscovite

Comments: Pink crystals of fluorapatite with pale blue beryl (aquamarine) on books of muscovite crystals.
Location: Nagar area, Gilgit district, Northern Areas, Pakistan. Scale: 3 x 3 cm.
© Dan Weinrich

Images:

Apatite Robertsite Carbonate-hydroxylapatite

Comments: Black crystals of Robertsite on pink carbonate-hydroxylapatite.
Location: Tip Top mine, Custer, Custer County, South Dakota, USA. Scale: Not Given.
© Lou Perloff / Photo Atlas of Minerals

Apatite Crystallography

Axial Ratios:

a:c = 1:0.73454

Cell Dimensions:

a = 9.38, c = 6.89, Z = 2; V = 525.00 Den(Calc)= 3.22

Crystal System:

Hexagonal - DipyramidalH-M Symbol (6/m) Space Group: P 6₃/m

Forms:

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Physical Properties of Apatite

Cleavage:

[0001] Indistinct, [1010] Indistinct

Color:

White, Yellow, Green, Red, Blue.

Density:

3.16 - 3.22, Average = 3.19

Diaphaniety:

Transparent to translucent

Fracture:

Conchoidal - Fractures developed in brittle materials characterized by smoothly curving surfaces, (e.g. quartz).

Habit:

Colloform - Forming from a gel or colloidal mass.

Habit:

Earthy - Dull, clay-like texture with no visible crystalline affinities, (e.g. howlite).

Habit:

Massive - Granular - Common texture observed in granite and other igneous rock.

Hardness:

5 - Apatite

Luminescence:

None.

Luster:

Vitreous (Glassy)

Streak:

white

Optical Properties of Apatite

Gladstone-Dale:

CI meas= 0.021 (Excellent) - where the CI = (1-KPDmeas/KC)
CI calc= 0.03 (Excellent) - where the CI = (1-KPDcalc/KC)
KPDcalc= 0.1961,KPDmeas= 0.198,KC= 0.2021

Optical Data:

Uniaxial (-), e=1.63, w=1.633, bire=0.0030.

Calculated Properties of Apatite

Electron Density:

r_electron=3.17 gm/cc
note: r_Apatite=3.19 gm/cc.

Fermion Index

Fermion Index = 0.00071
Boson Index = 0.99929

Photoelectric:

PE_Apatite= 5.87 barns/electron
U=PE_Apatite x r_electron= 18.59 barns/cc.

Radioactivity:

GRapi = 0 (Gamma Ray American Petroleum Institute Units)

Apatite is Not Radioactive

Apatite Classification

Dana Class:

41.8.1.0 (41)Anhydrous Phosphates, etc. Containing Hydroxyl or Halogen

(41.8)where (A)5 (XO4)3 Zq

(41.8.1)Dana Group

41.8.1.0 Apatite * Ca5(PO4)3(OH,F,Cl) P 6₃/m 6/m

41.8.1.1 Fluorapatite Ca5(PO4)3F P 6₃/m 6/m

41.8.1.2 Chlorapatite Ca5(PO4)3Cl P 6₃/m 6/m

41.8.1.3 Hydroxylapatite Ca5(PO4)3(OH) P 6₃/m 6/m

41.8.1.4 Carbonate-fluorapatite Ca5(PO4,CO3)3F P 6₃/m 6/m

41.8.1.5 Carbonate-hydroxylapatite Ca5(PO4,CO3)3(OH) P 6₃/m 6/m

41.8.1.6 Belovite-(Ce) (Sr,Ce,Na,Ca)5(PO4)3(OH) P 3 3

41.8.1.6a Belovite-(La)! (Sr,La,Ce,Ca)5(PO4)3(F,OH) P 3 3

41.8.1.6b Kuannersuite-(Ce)! Ba6Na2REE2(PO4)6FCl P 3 3

41.8.1.7 Strontium-apatite (Sr,Ca)5(PO4)3(F,OH) P 6₃/m 6/m

41.8.1.8 Fluorcaphite! (Ca,Sr,Ce,Na)5(PO4)3F P 6₃ 6

41.8.1.9 Deloneite-(Ce)! NaCa2SrCe(PO4)3F P 3 3

Strunz Class:

VII/B.39-00 VII - Phosphates, Arsenates and Vanadates

VII/B - Waterfree phosphates with unfamiliar anions F, Cl, O, OH. cations of medium and big size: Mg, Cu, Zn, and Ca, Na, K, Ba, Pb

VII/B.39 - Apatite - Pyromorphite group

Other Apatite Information

References:

NAME( Duda&Rejl90) PHYS. PROP.(Mason68) OPTIC PROP.(Mason68)

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Apatite

Ca5(PO4)3(OH,F,Cl)
Dana No: 41.8.1.0 Strunz No: VII/B.39-00
Locality:

Notes: