General Information:
Chemical Formula:Ca5(PO4,CO3)3F
Composition:(Molecular Weight = 486.82 gm)Calcium 41.16 %
CaPhosphorus 15.91 %
P Carbon 1.23 %
C Oxygen 37.79 %
O Fluorine 3.90 %
F
Empirical Formula: Ca5(PO4)2.5(CO3)0.5F
Environment:Sedimentary and skarn rocks.
Locality:Wheal Franco, Devonshire, England.
Name Origin:Named as the carbonate and fluorine end-member and from the Greek apatao - "I am misleading."
Physical Properties:
Color:colorless or whitish.
Density:3.12
Diaphaniety:Transparent to Translucent
Habits:Massive - Uniformly indistinguishable crystals forming large masses., Earthy - Dull, clay-like texture with no visible crystalline affinities, (e.g. howlite)., Pulverulent - Forms a l oose, poorly-coherent powdery mass.
Hardness:5 - Apatite
Luster:Vitreous - Resinous
Streak:white
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