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Apatite

A group of related mineral species
This page kindly sponsored by Matt Zukowski
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About ApatiteHide

Formula:
Ca5(PO4)3(Cl/F/OH)
Name:
The name ('apatit') was invented by A.G. Werner probably sometime in the mid-1780s, which he later described as being named from the Greek verb απατάω (strictly ἀπατάω; transliterated as apatáō) as the derivation, which means ‘to deceive’ (someone) or ‘to be deceptive’, because, as he wrote, "until now it has misled all mineralogists in its identification." (Roycroft & Cuypers, 2015).
"Apatite" is a field term for unidentified calcium phosphate members of the apatite group.
Most "apatite" is fluorapatite, whereas hydroxylapatite is much less common and chlorapatite is very rare.

"Apatite" crystals are short to long hexagonal prisms [0001], with {1010} and {1011} dominant; also thick tabular {0001}, frequently in the crystals of hydrothermal origin in pegmatites and veins, with {1010}, relatively large {0001}, and often also {1011} or low pyramids. Massive, coarse granular to compact. Globular or reniform at times with a sub-fibrous, scaly, or imperfectly columnar structure or as fibrous crusts; stalactitic; earthy; oolitic. May be rock-forming in beds of great extent; as nodular concretions in clays and shales; conglomeritic.

Apatite may be confused with beryl, milarite or phenakite.

Some apatites from Kazakhstan show the alexandrite effect, being yellowish-green in daylight and a pinkish-orange under incandescent light.




Unique IdentifiersHide

Mindat ID:
29229
Long-form identifier:
mindat:1:1:29229:0
GUID
(UUID V4):
4f9ba693-fcbf-4f77-b7b1-61aca8fefcd7

Mineral SymbolsHide

As of 2021 there are now IMA–CNMNC approved mineral symbols (abbreviations) for each mineral species, useful for tables and diagrams.

Please only use the official IMA–CNMNC symbol. Older variants are listed for historical use only.

SymbolSourceReference
ApIMA–CNMNCWarr, L.N. (2021). IMA–CNMNC approved mineral symbols. Mineralogical Magazine, 85(3), 291-320. doi:10.1180/mgm.2021.43
ApKretz (1983)Kretz, R. (1983) Symbols of rock-forming minerals. American Mineralogist, 68, 277–279.
ApSiivolam & Schmid (2007)Siivolam, J. and Schmid, R. (2007) Recommendations by the IUGS Subcommission on the Systematics of Metamorphic Rocks: List of mineral abbreviations. Web-version 01.02.07. IUGS Commission on the Systematics in Petrology. download
ApWhitney & Evans (2010)Whitney, D.L. and Evans, B.W. (2010) Abbreviations for names of rock-forming minerals. American Mineralogist, 95, 185–187 doi:10.2138/am.2010.3371
ApThe Canadian Mineralogist (2019)The Canadian Mineralogist (2019) The Canadian Mineralogist list of symbols for rock- and ore-forming minerals (December 30, 2019). download
ApWarr (2020)Warr, L.N. (2020) Recommended abbreviations for the names of clay minerals and associated phases. Clay Minerals, 55, 261–264 doi:10.1180/clm.2020.30

Pronunciation of ApatiteHide

Pronunciation:
PlayRecorded byCountry
Jolyon RalphUnited Kingdom

Chemistry of ApatiteHide

Mindat Formula:
Ca5(PO4)3(Cl/F/OH)

Age distributionHide

Recorded ages:
Mesoarchean to Neogene : 3068 ± 225 Ma to 15.7 ± 0.4 Ma - based on 39 recorded ages.

Synonyms of ApatiteHide

Other Language Names for ApatiteHide

Varieties of ApatiteHide

Améthiste Basaltine (of Sage)A violet variety of Apatite from Saxony.
Apatized WoodFossilized wood where the replacement of the wood is by phosphates, principally apatite.
Asparagas StoneA yellowish green coloured apatite, especially from Marcia, Spain.
Carbonate-rich ApatiteSynonyms pertaining to undifferentiated carbonate-bearing apatites (fluorapatite, hydroxylapatite) are listed in this file.

Crystals short to long hexagonal prisms [0001], with {1010} and {1011} dominant; also thick tabular {0001}, frequently in the crys...
CerapatiteAn apatite with 3.18% rare earth elements (REE) and 1.33% Ce2O3 from the Kola Peninsula.

Originally reported from Kola Peninsula, Murmanskaja Oblast', Northern Region, Russia.
CollophaneA name used for the massive, cryptocrystalline, colloidal (amorphous) varieties of Carbonate-rich Fluorapatite or Carbonate-rich Hydroxylapatite, such as those that constitute the bulk of phosphate rock and fossil bone. The original material was carbonate...
EupyrchroiteA fibrous, mammillated variety of apatite.
Lazur-ApatiteA sky-blue variety of Apatite from Siberia.
MoroxiteA blue-green variety of Apatite from Arendal, Norway.
OsteolithMassive, earthy, impure variety of apatite.
PseudoapatiteName for apatite pseudomorph after pyromorphite.

Possibly carbonate-apatite.
TalkapatitA name applied to an apparent magnesian variety of Apatite.
TrilliumA yellow-green gem variety of apatite.
Originally reported from Bancroft District, Hastings Co., Ontario, Canada.
YttriumapatiteA name introduced by G. Flink in 1889 of a variety of apatite with 3.36 wt% Y2O3, found in the Narsaarsuk pegmatite (Narssârssuk pegmatite), Igaliku, Kujalleq, Greenland.

Relationship of Apatite to other SpeciesHide

Other Members of this group:
AlforsiteBa5(PO4)3ClHex. 6/m : P63/m
ChlorapatiteCa5(PO4)3ClHex. 6/m : P63/m
FluoralforsiteBa5(PO4)3FHex. 6/m : P6/m
FluorapatiteCa5(PO4)3FHex. 6/m : P63/m
FluorpyromorphitePb5(PO4)3FHex. 6/m : P63/m
HydroxylapatiteCa5(PO4)3(OH)Hex. 6/m : P63/m
HydroxylpyromorphitePb5(PO4)3(OH)Hex. 6/mmm (6/m 2/m 2/m) : P63/mcm
JohnbaumiteCa5(AsO4)3(OH)Hex. 6/m : P63/m
MimetitePb5(AsO4)3ClHex. 6/m : P63/m
OxypyromorphitePb10(PO4)6O
PieczkaiteMn5(PO4)3ClHex. 6/m : P63/m
PliniusiteCa5(VO4)3FHex. 6/m : P63/m
PyromorphitePb5(PO4)3ClHex. 6/m : P63/m
StronadelphiteSr5(PO4)3FHex. 6/m : P63/m
SvabiteCa5(AsO4)3FHex. 6/mmm (6/m 2/m 2/m) : P63/mmc
TurneaureiteCa5(AsO4)3ClHex. 6/m : P63/m
Unnamed (OH-analogue of Mimetite)Pb5(AsO4)3(OH)Hex. 6/m : P63/m
VanadinitePb5(VO4)3ClHex. 6/m : P63/m

Common AssociatesHide

Associated Minerals Based on Photo Data:
267 photos of Apatite associated with QuartzSiO2
143 photos of Apatite associated with CalciteCaCO3
130 photos of Apatite associated with AlbiteNa(AlSi3O8)
122 photos of Apatite associated with MuscoviteKAl2(AlSi3O10)(OH)2
105 photos of Apatite associated with FluoriteCaF2
93 photos of Apatite associated with MagnetiteFe2+Fe3+2O4
91 photos of Apatite associated with Epidote(CaCa)(AlAlFe3+)O[Si2O7][SiO4](OH)
80 photos of Apatite associated with Pyroxene GroupADSi2O6
71 photos of Apatite associated with TitaniteCaTi(SiO4)O
65 photos of Apatite associated with SchorlNaFe2+3Al6(Si6O18)(BO3)3(OH)3(OH)

Other InformationHide

Health Risks:
No information on health risks for this material has been entered into the database. You should always treat mineral specimens with care.

Apatite in petrologyHide

An essential component of rock names highlighted in red, an accessory component in rock names highlighted in green.

Internet Links for ApatiteHide

References for ApatiteHide

Reference List:

Localities for ApatiteHide

This map shows a selection of localities that have latitude and longitude coordinates recorded. Click on the symbol to view information about a locality. The symbol next to localities in the list can be used to jump to that position on the map.

Locality ListShow

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