mineral
Blue Apatite
Ca5(PO4)3(F,Cl,OH)
Hardness of 5 on the Mohs scale, blue-green to blue color, vitreous to sub-resinous luster, hexagonal crystal system, poor cleavage, specific gravity of approximately 3.1-3.2
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Physical properties
Hardness of 5 on the Mohs scale, blue-green to blue color, vitreous to sub-resinous luster, hexagonal crystal system, poor cleavage, specific gravity of approximately 3.1-3.2
Formation & geological history
Formed in igneous, metamorphic, and sedimentary environments, frequently occurring as an accessory mineral in pegmatites and hydrothermal veins
Uses & applications
Mainly used for the production of phosphate fertilizers, occasional use as a gemstone or collector specimen
Geological facts
Apatite is the defining mineral for a hardness of 5 on the Mohs scale and is the most common phosphate mineral on Earth
Field identification & locations
Identified by its distinctive blue color, hexagonal crystal form, and a Mohs hardness of 5, commonly found in Madagascar, Brazil, and Mexico
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Limonite / Goethite (Iron Ore Mineral nodule)
FeO(OH)·nH2O / FeO(OH)
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Septarian Pebble
Septarian nodule / Concretion
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Schist
Schist
Metamorphic
Potassium Feldspar (Orthoclase)
Orthoclase (KAlSi3O8)
mineral