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Fermorite

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Sitapur, Chhindwara District (Chindawara District; Chindwara District), Jabalpur Division, Madhya Pradesh, India
© 2007, JGW

Formula:
(Ca,Sr)
 
5
(AsO
 
4
,PO
 
4
)
 
3
(OH)
System:MonoclinicColour:White to light pink
Hardness:5
Name:For Dr. Lewis Leigh Fermor (1880-1954), former Director, Geological Survey of India.


Apatite Supergroup.
The arsenate analogue and monoclinic polymorph of Hydroxyl-apatite.

Note: The orginal chemical analysis (from 1911) gave (PO4)1.60(AsO4)1.24, making fermorite a phosphate. A modern microprobe analysis of the type material, however, gave (PO4)1.45(AsO4)1.48 - thus fermorite is now defined as an arsenate.

Classification of Fermorite

IMA status:Valid - first described prior to 1959 (pre-IMA) - "Grandfathered"
Strunz 8th edition ID:7/B.39-90
Nickel-Strunz 10th (pending) edition ID:8.BN.05

8 : PHOSPHATES, ARSENATES, VANADATES
B : Phosphates, etc., with additional anions, without H2O
N : With only large cations, (OH, etc.):RO4 = 0.33:1
Dana 8th edition ID:41.8.3.4

41 : ANHYDROUS PHOSPHATES, ETC.CONTAINING HYDROXYL OR HALOGEN
8 : A5(XO4)3Zq
Hey's CIM Ref.:22.1.30

22 : Phosphates, Arsenates or Vanadates with other Anions
1 : Phosphates, arsenates or vanadates with fluoride
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Type Occurrence of Fermorite

Type Locality:Sitapur, Chhindwara District (Chindawara District; Chindwara District), Jabalpur Division, Madhya Pradesh, India
Place of Conservation of Type Material:Smithsonian 94809
Year of Discovery:1910
Geological Setting of type material:Manganese deposit

Physical Properties of Fermorite

Lustre:Greasy
Diaphaneity (Transparency):Translucent
Colour:White to light pink
Streak:White
Hardness (Mohs):5
Fracture:Irregular/Uneven
Density (measured):3.518 g/cm3
Density (calculated):3.41 g/cm3

Crystallography of Fermorite

Crystal System:Monoclinic
Class (H-M):2/m - Prismatic
Space Group:P21/m {P1 1 21/m} {P21/m} {P1 21/m 1}
Cell Parameters:a = 9.55Å, c = 6.98Å
Ratio:a:c = 1 : 0.731
Unit Cell Volume:V 0.00 ų (Calculated from Unit Cell)
Z:2
Morphology:Crystals crudely prismatic; massive, granular.
Comment:Pseudohexagonal

Optical Data of Fermorite

Type:Uniaxial (-)
RI values: nω = 1.660 nε = 1.655
Maximum Birefringence:δ = 0.005

Chart shows birefringence interference colour range (at 30µm thickness) and does not take into account mineral colouration.
Surface Relief:Moderate

Chemical Properties of Fermorite

Formula:
(Ca,Sr)
 
5
(AsO
 
4
,PO
 
4
)
 
3
(OH)
Essential elements:Ca, F, O, P
All elements listed in formula:As, Ca, H, O, P, Sr

Relationship of Fermorite to other Species

Related Minerals - Nickel-Strunz Grouping):

- +
8.BN.05Alforsite
Ba
 
5
[Cl|(PO
 
4
)
 
3
]
8.BN.05Belovite-(Ce)
NaSr
 
3
(Ce,La)[(F,OH)|(PO
 
4
)
 
3
]
8.BN.05Carbonate-rich Apatite-(CaF)
Ca
 
5
[(F,O)|(PO
 
4
,CO
 
3
)
 
3
]
8.BN.05Carbonate-rich Apatite-(CaOH)
Ca
 
5
[(OH,O)|(PO
 
4
,CO
 
3
)
 
3
]
8.BN.05Apatite-(CaCl)
Ca
 
5
[Cl|(PO
 
4
)
 
3
]
8.BN.05Clinomimetite
Pb
 
5
[Cl|(AsO
 
4
)
 
3
]
8.BN.05Apatite-(CaF)
Ca
 
5
[F|(PO
 
4
)
 
3
]
8.BN.05Hedyphane
Pb
 
3
Ca
 
2
[Cl|(AsO
 
4
)
 
3
]
8.BN.05Apatite-(CaOH)
Ca
 
5
[OH|(PO
 
4
)
 
3
]
8.BN.05Johnbaumite
Ca
 
5
[OH|(AsO
 
4
)
 
3
]
8.BN.05Mimetite
Pb
 
5
[Cl|(AsO
 
4
)
 
3
]
8.BN.05Morelandite
(Ba,Ca,Pb)
 
5
[Cl|(AsO
 
4
,PO
 
4
)
 
3
]
8.BN.05Pyromorphite
Pb
 
5
[Cl|(PO
 
4
)
 
3
]
8.BN.05Apatite-(SrOH)
(Sr,Ca)
 
5
(PO
 
4
)
 
3
(OH,F)
8.BN.05Svabite
Ca
 
5
[(F,Cl,OH)|(AsO
 
4
)
 
3
]
8.BN.05Turneaureite
Ca
 
5
[Cl|(AsO
 
4
,PO
 
4
)
 
3
]
8.BN.05Vanadinite
Pb
 
5
[Cl|(VO
 
4
)
 
3
]
8.BN.05Belovite-(La)
NaSr
 
3
(La,Ce)[(F,OH)|(PO
 
4
)
 
3
]
8.BN.05Deloneite-(Ce)
NaCa
 
2
SrCe(PO
 
4
)
 
3
F
8.BN.05Fluorcaphite
(Ca,Sr,Ce,Na)
 
5
[F|(PO
 
4
)
 
3
]
8.BN.05Kuannersuite-(Ce)
NaBa
 
3
(Ce,Nd,La)[(F,Cl)|(PO
 
4
)
 
3
]
8.BN.05Apatite-(CaOH)-M
(Ca,Na)
 
3
Ca
 
2
[(OH,Cl)|(PO
 
4
,SO
 
4
)
 
3
]
8.BN.05Phosphohedyphane
Pb
 
3
Ca
 
2
[Cl|(PO
 
4
)
 
3
]
8.BN.05IMA2008-009
Sr
 
5
(PO
 
4
)
 
3
F
8.BN.05IMA2008-068
Ca
 
2
Pb
 
3
(PO
 
4
)
 
3
F
8.BN.10Arctite
Na
 
2
Ca
 
4
(PO
 
4
)
 
3
F
Related Minerals - Hey's Index Grouping:

- +
22.1.1Amblygonite
(Li,Na)Al[(F,OH)|PO
 
4
]
22.1.2Lacroixite
NaAl[F|PO
 
4
]
22.1.3Natrophosphate
Na
 
7
(PO
 
4
)
 
2
F·19H
 
2
O
22.1.5Nacaphite
Na
 
2
Ca[F|PO
 
4
]
22.1.6Arctite
Na
 
2
Ca
 
4
(PO
 
4
)
 
3
F
22.1.7Nefedovite
Na
 
5
Ca
 
4
(PO
 
4
)
 
4
F
22.1.9Apatite-(CaF)
Ca
 
5
[F|(PO
 
4
)
 
3
]
22.1.10Herderite
CaBe[(F,OH)|PO
 
4
]
22.1.11Isokite
CaMg[F|PO
 
4
]
22.1.12Panasqueiraite
CaMg[(OH,F)|PO
 
4
]
22.1.13Babefphite
BaBe[(F,OH)|PO
 
4
]
22.1.14Fluellite
Al
 
2
[F
 
2
|OH|PO
 
4
] · 7H
 
2
O
22.1.15Minyulite
KAl
 
2
[(OH,F)|(PO
 
4
)
 
2
] · 4H
 
2
O
22.1.16Morinite
Na
 
2
Ca
 
4
Al
 
4
[(F,OH)
 
5
|(PO
 
4
)
 
2
]
 
2
 · 3H
 
2
O
22.1.17Bøggildite
Na
 
2
Sr
 
2
Al
 
2
PO
 
4
F
 
9
22.1.18Apatite-(SrOH)
(Sr,Ca)
 
5
(PO
 
4
)
 
3
(OH,F)
22.1.19Viitaniemiite
Na(Ca,Mn
2+
 
)Al[(F,OH)
 
3
|PO
 
4
]
22.1.20Väyrynenite
Mn
2+
 
Be[(OH,F)|PO
 
4
]
22.1.21Maxwellite
NaFe
3+
 
[F|AsO
 
4
]
22.1.22Wagnerite
(Mg,Fe
2+
 
)
 
2
[F|PO
 
4
]
22.1.23Triplite
(Mn
2+
 
,Fe
2+
 
)
 
2
[(F,OH)|PO
 
4
]
22.1.24Magniotriplite
(Mg,Fe
2+
 
,Mn
2+
 
)
 
2
[F|PO
 
4
]
22.1.25Zwieselite
(Fe
2+
 
,Mn
2+
 
)
 
2
[F|PO
 
4
]
22.1.26Mcauslanite
HFe
2+
3
Al
 
2
[F|(PO
 
4
)
 
4
] · 18H
 
2
O
22.1.27Richellite
Ca
 
3
Fe
3+
10
[(OH,F)
 
3
|(PO
 
4
)
 
2
]
 
4
 · nH
 
2
O (not confirmed)
22.1.28Svabite
Ca
 
5
[(F,Cl,OH)|(AsO
 
4
)
 
3
]
22.1.29Tilasite
CaMg[F|AsO
 
4
]
22.1.31Durangite
NaAl[F|AsO
 
4
]

Other Names for Fermorite

Synonyms:
Strontium Apatite (of Winchell)
Other Languages:
German:Fermorit
Strontiumarsenapatit
Russian:Ферморит
Spanish:Fermorita

Other Information

Other Information:Soluble in acids.
Health Warning:No information on health risks for this material has been entered into the database. You should always treat mineral specimens with care.

References for Fermorite

Reference List:Smith and Prior (1911) Mineralogical Magazine: 16: 84.

McConnell (1938) American Mineralogist: 23: 1.

Palache, C., Berman, H., & Frondel, C. (1951), The System of Mineralogy of James Dwight Dana and Edward Salisbury Dana, Yale University 1837-1892, Volume II. John Wiley and Sons, Inc., New York, 7th edition, revised and enlarged, 1124 pp.: 904.

Neues Jahrbuch für Mineralogie, Monatshefte (1991): 327.

Anthony, J.W., Bideaux, R.A., Bladh, K.W., and Nichols, M.C. (2000) Handbook of Mineralogy, Volume IV. Arsenates, Phosphates, Vanadates. Mineral Data Publishing, Tucson, AZ, 680pp.: 171.

Internet Links for Fermorite

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  • Raman and XRD data at RRUFF project
  • American Mineralogist Crystal Structure Database
  • Search for Fermorite in the Natural History Museum (London) online catalogue
  • Fermorite details from Handbook of Mineralogy (PDF)
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    Localities for Fermorite

    (TL) indicates type locality. ? indicates mineral may be doubtful at this locality. All other localities listed without reference should be considered as uncertain and unproven until references can be found.
    India
     
    • Madhya Pradesh
      • Jabalpur Division
        • Chhindwara District (Chindawara District; Chindwara District)
    		Min.Mag.(1911) 16, 84-96
    Mineral and/or Locality
    Google
     
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