Apatite

Apatite has a value of 5 on the Mohs hardness scale. That is the reason it is rarely cut into a gemstone, especially for collectors. An apatite stone is transparent to opaque. When cut correctly, stones are bright with strong colors. Apatite occurs in colorless, yellow, blue, violet, or green hexagonal prisms or tabular crystals. It is common to find apatite crystals in quartz and gibertite matrix.

The Spanish apatite is often called ‘asparagus stone,’ due to its yellowish green color.

Occurrence

Apatite is an abundant mineral, found in many types of rocks. However, most gem-quality material is associated with pegmatites. Chatoyant stones are also found in Brazil, along with yellow, blue, and green varieties. Other localities include the Kola Peninsula (Russia), Canada, East Africa, Sweden, Spain, and Mexico.

Apatite Properties

• Specific Gravity: 3.20
• Refractive Index: 1.63-1.64
• Birefringence (DR): 0.003
• Luster: Vitreous
• Crystal Structure: Hexagonal
• Composition: Calcium phosphate
• Hardness: 5

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