Durango, Mexico
3.37 carats
© Brian Kosnar - Mineral Classics
General Information | ||||||||||||||
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A variety or type of: | Apatite | |||||||||||||
Chemical Formula |
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Physical Properties of Fluorapatite | ||||||||||||||
Mohs Hardness | 5Handbook of mineralogy (2001) , | |||||||||||||
Specific Gravity | 3.1 to 3.25Handbook of mineralogy (2001) , | |||||||||||||
Tenacity | BrittleHandbook of mineralogy (2001) , | |||||||||||||
Cleavage Quality | PoorHandbook of mineralogy (2001) , | |||||||||||||
Fracture | Uneven,ConchoidalHandbook of mineralogy (2001) , | |||||||||||||
Optical Properties of Fluorapatite | ||||||||||||||
Optical Character | Uniaxial/-Handbook of mineralogy (2001) , | |||||||||||||
Pleochroism | Weak to strong if coloredHandbook of mineralogy (2001) , | |||||||||||||
Colour | ||||||||||||||
Colour (General) | Sea-green, violet, purple, blue, pink, yellow, brown, white, colorless, may be zoned; colorless or faintly tinted in thin sectionHandbook of mineralogy (2001) , | |||||||||||||
Transparency | Transparent,TranslucentHandbook of mineralogy (2001) , | |||||||||||||
Lustre | VitreousHandbook of mineralogy (2001) , Vitreous to subresinous | |||||||||||||
Crystallography of Fluorapatite | ||||||||||||||
Crystal System | Hexagonal,MonoclinicHandbook of mineralogy (2001) , Hexagonal or monoclinic | |||||||||||||
Habit | As prismatic hexagonal crystals, elongated, to 2 m; as complex tabular to discoidal crystals ?attened, typically with many forms; granular, globular to reniform, nodular, massive.Handbook of mineralogy (2001) , | |||||||||||||
Geological Environment | ||||||||||||||
Where found: | Accessory in most igneous rocks, important in syenites, alkaline rocks, carbonatites, granite pegmatites. Common in marbles and skarns, Ca-rich regional metamorphic rocks, Alpine-type fissures, and hydrothermal tin veins. An essential component of sedimentary phosphorites, common as a detrital or diagenetic component in oolitic ironstones and phosphatic carbonate rocks and shales. Residual in laterites.Handbook of mineralogy (2001) , | |||||||||||||
Spectrographic Data | ||||||||||||||
Calculated Spectra: Click spectra for more information | ||||||||||||||
Further Information | ||||||||||||||
Mineral information: | Fluorapatite information at mindat.org | |||||||||||||
Significant Gem Localities | ||||||||||||||
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