Calcium phosphate group defining hardness 5 on the Mohs scale. Major source of phosphorus for fertilizers and the mineral in bones and teeth. Color: Green, blue, yellow, purple, colorless. Luster: Vitreous to subresinous. Streak: White. Cleavage: Poor. Hardness: 5. Transparency: Transparent to opaque. Crystal system: Hexagonal. Chemical formula: Ca₅ PO₄ ₃ F,Cl,OH. Specific gravity: 3.16-3.22. Formation: Forms as an accessory mineral in nearly all igneous rocks and in sedimentary phosphorite deposits. Common geological settings: Worldwide; Morocco phosphorite , Brazil, Madagascar, Mexico; found in igneous, metamorphic, and sedimentary rocks. Common look-alikes and related entries: Beryl, Tourmaline, Quartz.
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These authoritative resources support category-level nomenclature, terminology, identification methods, and safety. When a specimen-specific safety warning appears, the public-health source listed here directly supports that precaution. They are not line-by-line citations for every other property on this entry, and natural specimens vary.
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GeoMiner
Last updated
2026-03-30T14:37:05.613454+00:00
Review status
Published; not independently peer-reviewed
IMA–CNMNC List of Mineral Names — International Mineralogical Association. Official mineral-name, nomenclature, and classification records.
Mineral ID Key — Mineralogical Society of America. Physical-property identification methods, repeat-testing guidance, and limitations.
Calcium phosphate group defining hardness 5 on the Mohs scale. Major source of phosphorus for fertilizers and the mineral in bones and teeth.
How can you identify Apatite?
Compare several properties rather than relying on colour alone. This entry records colour: Green, blue, yellow, purple, colorless; lustre: Vitreous to subresinous; streak: White; Mohs hardness: 5; cleavage: Poor; crystal system: Hexagonal; transparency: Transparent to opaque. Confirm an important identification with additional field tests or qualified laboratory work.
How does Apatite form?
Forms as an accessory mineral in nearly all igneous rocks and in sedimentary phosphorite deposits.
Where is Apatite commonly found?
Worldwide; Morocco phosphorite , Brazil, Madagascar, Mexico; found in igneous, metamorphic, and sedimentary rocks.
What is Apatite commonly confused with?
Apatite may be confused with Beryl, Tourmaline, Quartz. Compare multiple diagnostic properties because colour and surface appearance can overlap.
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