Apatite

Etymology

Apatite takes its name from the Greek word “Apatein” which means wrong, mislead, or confused, chosen by A.G Werner in 1786, professor of mineralogy at the Freiberg Academy (Germany) who upon studying this gem found, that in fact, it was a new mineral but so far had been confused with others to which it is very similar.

Geological Origin

The origin of apatite is given by hydrothermal formations, magmatic and metamorphism of sedimentary basins.

False Names

Apatite can be easily confused with gems like amblygonite, andalusite, brazilianite, beryl, quartz, titanite, topaz, and tourmaline.

Characteristics and Properties

Mineral Type	Phosphate
Color	Colorless, yellow, pink, green, blue, violet
Streak	From white to yellowish gray
Hardness	5 Mohs
Specific Gravity	3.16 – 3.23
Cleavage	Imperfect
Fracture	Conchoidal
Crystal System	Hexagonal
Habit	Pyramidal hexagonal prismatic or hexagonal prismatic with pinachoidal finish
Chemical Formula	Ca5(PO4)3(F,Cl,OH)
Optical Properties	Uniaxial (-)
Transparency	Transparent
Luster	Vitreous
Refractive Index	1.642 – 1.648
Birefringence	0.002 a 0.006
Dispersion	0.013 (BG), 0.010 (CF)
Pleochroism	Green: yellow, green | Blue: blue, yellow
Fluorescence	Yellow: from lilac to pink

Deposits

Some of the main deposits are located in Burma, Mexico, Brazil, India, Madagascar and Spain. In Colombia we can highlight the production of pink apatite.

Uses

Apatite is used as fertilizer when it appears rich in phosphate and in large quantities.
It is recommended to use apatite to help achieve deep meditation and relating to health it is believed to relieve throat infections, to fight insomnia, and is recommended for people suffering from arthritis.
In the esoteric area, apatite is recognized as the stone of sincerity and is used as an amulet to seal a sincere friendship.
Opens the chakras (the chakra system — Yoga) of the head and spleen. It has an affinity with the signs of Taurus, Cancer, Leo, Virgo, Libra and Pisces.