Carbonate-fluorapatite

Formula:  Ca5(PO4,CO3)3 F

Origin of name:  From carbonate, fluorine, and the apatite series

 

Crystal system:  Hexagonal

Crystal class:  6/m

Twinning:

Unit cell: a = 9.346 Ǻ, c = 6.887 Ǻ

 

Colour:  Colourless to whitish

Diaphaneity:

Luster:

Habit:  Crystals well-formed hexagonal prisms; granular massive, globular, reniform, stalactitic, fibrous, earthy

Hardness:  5

Specific gravity:  3.12

Cleavage:  2; {0001} indistinct, {10-10} trace

Tenacity:  Conchoidal; brittle

Streak:

 

Synonyms/varieties:  Dehrnite, francolite, carbonate-apatite, collophane (massive, amorphous variety), kurskite (Na-rich variety), lewistonite

 

Comments:

 

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