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A Geoscience Digital Image Library

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TitleApatite with calcite and hornblende
DescriptionApatite, Ca5(PO4)3(OH,F,Cl) is the most common phosphate mineral. In this specimen it is brown and is accompanied by whitish calcite and black hornblende. Appatite is present in many rocks of different sorts but is generally too fine grained and disseminated to be seen easily. Large well formed crystals though can be found in certain contact metamorphic rocks - the 9 cm wide sample shown is an example. Apatite sometimes forms in massive sedimentary beds (phosphorites) which are mined to manufacture fertilizers and other chemicals. Besides the brown color shown, apatite may be transparent to opaque in shades of green, brown, yellow, white, red, and purple. Some yellow-green (asparagus stone) and blue-green (manganapatite) varieties are used in jewelry.
LocationCanada ▹ Quebec. Near Buckingham.
PhotographerNessa Eull. 2001-06-19.
CollectionUniversity of North Dakota Mineralogy Collection #1010.
Key wordsapatite, calcite, tourmaline, Quebec, Canada
Tech details562 KB. Hand specimen. Fujifilm FinePix S1Pro digital camera; 60mm AF Nikon micro lens.
GeoDIL number793