mineral

Blue Apatite

Fluorapatite / Ca5(PO4)3F

Hardness: 5 on Mohs scale; Color: Neon blue to dark blue; Luster: Vitreous (glassy) to greasy; Crystal structure: Hexagonal; Cleavage: Poor; Specific gravity: 3.16-3.22

Hardness: 5 on Mohs scale
Color: Neon blue to dark blue
Luster: Vitreous (glassy) to greasy

Identified June 25, 2026More mineral →

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Physical properties

Hardness: 5 on Mohs scale; Color: Neon blue to dark blue; Luster: Vitreous (glassy) to greasy; Crystal structure: Hexagonal; Cleavage: Poor; Specific gravity: 3.16-3.22

Formation & geological history

Found principally in igneous environments such as pegmatites and metamorphic rocks like marble. It forms during the cooling of magma or through hydrothermal processes.

Uses & applications

Major source of phosphorus for fertilizer; blue variety is used as a gemstone in jewelry and as a popular collector's mineral.

Geological facts

The name 'Apatite' is derived from a Greek word meaning 'to deceive' because it was historically often mistaken for other minerals like peridot, beryl, or tourmaline.

Field identification & locations

Identify by its distinctive blue color, hexagonal crystal habit, and its defining hardness of 5 on the Mohs scale (can be scratched by a knife but not easily by a penny). Commonly found in Brazil, Madagascar, and Mexico.