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fluorapatite
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fluorapatite
fluorapatite Fluorapatite with albite.

fluorapatite

mineral
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fluorapatite, common phosphate mineral, a calcium fluoride phosphate, Ca5(PO4)3F. It occurs as minute, often green, glassy crystals in many igneous rocks, and also in magnetite deposits, high-temperature hydrothermal veins, and metamorphic rocks; it also occurs as collophane in marine deposits. For detailed physical properties, see phosphate mineral (table).

The fluoride ion is often replaced in the crystal structure by chloride or a hydroxide group; in nature there are complete chemical variations, called solid-solution series, between fluorapatite and chlorapatite and between fluorapatite and hydroxylapatite. Manganese can replace up to 10 percent of the calcium in fluorapatite derived from granite pegmatites.

This article was most recently revised and updated by Amy Tikkanen.