Fluorapatite Mineral Data

Fluorapatite Mineral Data +

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General Fluorapatite Information

Chemical Formula:

Ca5(PO4)3F

Composition:

Molecular Weight = 504.30 gm

Calcium 39.74 % Ca 55.60 % CaO

Phosphorus 18.43 % P 42.22 % P₂O₅

Oxygen 38.07 % O

Fluorine 3.77 % F 3.77 % F

- % F -1.59 % -O=F₂

______ ______

100.00 % 100.00 % = TOTAL OXIDE

Empirical Formula:

Ca₅(PO₄)₃F

IMA Status:

Valid Species (Pre-IMA) 1860

Locality:

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

Name Origin:

Named as the fluorine end-member and from the Greek apatao - "I am misleading."

Synonym:

Apatite

ICSD 1709

PDF 15-876

Wilkeite

Fluorapatite Image

Images:

Click Here for Larger Fluorapatite Image

Fluorapatite Beryl Muscovite Apatite

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:

Fluorapatite Quartz

Comments: Purple crystal of fluorapatite on slightly smoky quartz crystals. Former Dr. E.E. David and Houston Museum collections.
Location: Pech, Kunar Province, Nuristan, Afghanistan. Scale: Crystal size 3.0 x 2.1 x 1.7 cm.
© Ed Rosenzweig

Images:

Fluorapatite Gatumbaite

Comments: White crystalline gatumbaite with yellow brazilianite in massive blue fluorapatite.
Location: Buranga Pegmatite, near Gatumba, Gisenyi, Rwanda. Scale: See Photo.
© Jeff Weissman / Photographic Guide to Mineral Species

Fluorapatite Crystallography

Axial Ratios:

a:c = 1:0.73492

Cell Dimensions:

a = 9.367, c = 6.884, Z = 2; V = 523.09 Den(Calc)= 3.20

Crystal System:

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

$Help on X Ray Diffraction:$ X Ray Diffraction:

By Intensity(I/I_o): 2.8(1), 2.702(0.6), 2.772(0.55),

Forms:

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Forms: [ 0 1 1] [ 0 1 0] [ 1 1 0] [ 0 0 1]

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Crystal Structure:

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Hughes J M , Cameron M , Crowley K D , American Mineralogist , 74 (1989) p.870-876, Structural variations in natural F, OH, and Cl apatites, Locality: Durango Mexico

View Additional jPOWD Structure files for Fluorapatite
[1] [10] [11] [12] [13] [14] [15] [16] [17] [18] [19] [2] [20] [21] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7] [8] [9]

Physical Properties of Fluorapatite

Cleavage:

[0001] Indistinct

Color:

Blue, Brown, Colorless, Violet, Green.

Density:

3.1 - 3.2, Average = 3.15

Diaphaniety:

Transparent to Opaque

Fracture:

Brittle - Conchoidal - Very brittle fracture producing small, conchoidal fragments.

Habit:

Euhedral Crystals - Occurs as well-formed crystals showing good external form.

Habit:

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

Hardness:

5 - Apatite

Luminescence:

Fluorescent and phosphorescent.

Luster:

Vitreous - Resinous

Streak:

white

Optical Properties of Fluorapatite

Dichroism (e):

colorless.

Dichroism (w):

colorless.

Gladstone-Dale:

CI meas= -0.024 (Excellent) - where the CI = (1-KPDmeas/KC)
CI calc= -0.008 (Superior) - where the CI = (1-KPDcalc/KC)
KPDcalc= 0.1973,KPDmeas= 0.2004,KC= 0.1958

Optical Data:

Uniaxial (-), e=1.6325, w=1.63, bire=0.0025.

Calculated Properties of Fluorapatite

Electron Density:

r_electron=3.17 gm/cc
note: r_Fluorapatite=3.20 gm/cc.

Fermion Index

Fermion Index = 0.00071
Boson Index = 0.99929

Photoelectric:

PE_Fluorapatite= 5.79 barns/electron
U=PE_Fluorapatite x r_electron= 18.38 barns/cc.

Radioactivity:

GRapi = 0 (Gamma Ray American Petroleum Institute Units)

Fluorapatite is Not Radioactive

Fluorapatite Classification

Dana Class:

41.8.1.1 (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.39-10 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

VII/B.39-10 Fluorapatite Ca5(PO4)3F P 6₃/m 6/m

VII/B.39-20 Chlorapatite Ca5(PO4)3Cl P 6₃/m 6/m

VII/B.39-30 Hydroxylapatite Ca5(PO4)3(OH) P 6₃/m 6/m

VII/B.39-40 Carbonate-hydroxylapatite Ca5(PO4,CO3)3(OH) P 6₃/m 6/m

VII/B.39-50 Carbonate-fluorapatite Ca5(PO4,CO3)3F P 6₃/m 6/m

VII/B.39-60 Svabite Ca5(AsO4)3F P 6₃/m 6/m

VII/B.39-70 Turneaureite Ca5[(As,P)O4]3Cl P 6₃/m 6/m

VII/B.39-80 Johnbaumite Ca5(AsO4)3(OH) P 6₃/m,P 6₃ Hex

VII/B.39-90 Fermorite (Ca,Sr)5(AsO4,PO4)3(OH) P 6₃/m 6/m

VII/B.39-95 Fluorcaphite! (Ca,Sr,Ce,Na)5(PO4)3F P 6₃ 6

VII/B.39-100 Strontium-apatite (Sr,Ca)5(PO4)3(F,OH) P 6₃/m 6/m

VII/B.39-110 Belovite-(Ce) (Sr,Ce,Na,Ca)5(PO4)3(OH) P 3 3

VII/B.39-115 Belovite-(La)! (Sr,La,Ce,Ca)5(PO4)3(F,OH) P 3 3

VII/B.39-117 Kuannersuite-(Ce)! Ba6Na2REE2(PO4)6FCl P 3 3

VII/B.39-120 Alforsite Ba5(PO4)3Cl P 6₃/m 6/m

VII/B.39-130 Morelandite (Ba,Ca,Pb)5(AsO4,PO4)3Cl P 6₃/m,P 6₃ Hex

VII/B.39-140 Hedyphane Ca2Pb3(AsO4)3Cl P 6₃/m 6/m

VII/B.39-150 Pyromorphite Pb5(PO4)3Cl P 6₃/m 6/m

VII/B.39-160 Mimetite Pb5(AsO4)3Cl P 6₃/m 6/m

VII/B.39-165 Clinomimetite Pb5(AsO4)3Cl P 2₁/b 2/m

VII/B.39-170 Vanadinite Pb5(VO4)3Cl P 6₃/m 6/m

Other Fluorapatite Information

References:

NAME( Dana8) PHYS. PROP.(Enc. of Minerals,2nd ed.,1990) OPTIC PROP.(Dana8)

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Fluorapatite

Ca5(PO4)3F
Dana No: 41.8.1.1 Strunz No: VII/B.39-10
Locality:

Notes: