Judging quality
Look for saturated neon color and glassy hexagonal prism faces. Apatite is soft for jewellery use and often included; clean transparent crystals are collector items.
Phosphate
Apatite
The mineral of bone and tooth enamel, and a gem in its own right. Neon blue-green Madagascan apatite is one of the most electric colors in the mineral kingdom.
Care
Soft and brittle; scratches easily and reacts to acid. Store separately.
History & lore
Its name comes from the Greek for 'to deceive', because it was so often mistaken for other minerals.
Cultural history, recorded as tradition rather than as medical or scientific claim.
Common questions about Apatite
- What is Apatite?
- The mineral of bone and tooth enamel, and a gem in its own right. Neon blue-green Madagascan apatite is one of the most electric colors in the mineral kingdom.
- How hard is Apatite and what is it made of?
- Apatite is a Phosphate-family mineral with the composition Ca5(PO4)3(F,Cl,OH). It crystallizes in the hexagonal system and rates 5 on the Mohs hardness scale. It occurs in blue, green, yellow.
- Where does Apatite come from?
- Notable localities for Apatite include Madagascar, Brazil, Mexico (Cerro de Mercado), Myanmar.
- How do you tell good Apatite from filler?
- Look for saturated neon color and glassy hexagonal prism faces. Apatite is soft for jewellery use and often included; clean transparent crystals are collector items.
- How do you care for Apatite?
- Soft and brittle; scratches easily and reacts to acid. Store separately.
Related stones
See it in person
Photographs only go so far
Both rooms are open six days a week, and there is always someone happy to pull pieces out of the case so you can compare them under the light.