Fluorapatite | |
Chemical Formula |
Ca5(PO4)3F |
Species |
Phosphates |
Crystal System |
Hexagonal |
Mohs Scale |
5 |
Specific Gravity |
3.1-3.2 |
Color |
Sea-green, Purple, purple, blue, pink, yellow, brown, white, colorless, may be zoned |
Streak |
White |
Luster |
Vitreous, Sub-Vitreous, Resinous, Waxy, Greasy |
Refractive Index |
n = 1.631 - 1.650 n = 1.627 - 1.646 |
Diaphaneity |
Transparent, Opaque |
Cleavage |
Poor/IndistinctIndistinct and |
Fracture |
Irregular/Uneven, Conchoidal |
Crystal Habit:Massive to prismatic cyrstaliine | |
Geological Setting:Most common rock forming phosphate. Accessory mineral in most igneous rocks with important concentrations in carbonatites. Common in marbles and skarns. Major mineral in sedimentary phosphorites. |