Apatite
Apatites are a group of similar isomorphous hexagonal phosphate minerals. Apatite is the most common phosphate mineral. Apatite is the main source of phosphorous, an important nutrient required by plants. Apatite has important applications in the chemical, farming, and pharmaceutical industries.
The word Apatite is derived from the Greek word “apate” meaning deceit because apatite can be mistaken for many other minerals. Apatite forms under a wide variety of conditions and is found in igneous, metamorphic, and sedimentary rocks.
The primary Apatite group includes Fluorapatite, Chlorapatite, and Hydroxylapatite. The extended Apatite supergroup describes additional minerals like Pyromorphite, Mimetite, and Vanadinite. Apatites are commonly sold as “Apatite” without a designation of the specific type because its difficult to identify between the types. We can assume most of these stones are Fluorapatite, as it is the most common.
