Name/Title
FluorapophylliteEntry/Object ID
2004.1.31Description
Assemblage Zone: pegmatite dikes
Chemical Composition: v(K, Na)Ca4 Si8O20(F,OH)
Crystal System: Tetragonal System
Description: Common Name: Fluorapophyllite
Chemistry: (K, Na)Ca4 Si8O20(F,OH) +8H2O
Class: Silicates
Subclass: Phyllosilicates
Group: Apophyllite
Found at Rahuri, Maharashtra, India
This speciman has large pale green crystal surrounded by peach colored stilbite crystals on the matrix
THE PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF APOPHYLLITE:
Color is clear, white, green, yellow, pink, violet or rarely brown.
Luster is vitreous to pearly on cleavage surfaces.
Transparency: Crystals are transparent to translucent.
Crystal System is tetragonal; 4/m 2/m 2/m; natroapophyllite is orthorhombic, 2/m 2/m 2/m.
Crystal Habits include four sided prisms (with a square cross-section) truncated with either a steep four sided pyramid or a pinacoid termination or both. If the pyramids are missing, the crystals can look cubic. Rarely are the prisms missing, but if they are, crystals could appear octahedral because of the four sided pyramids. The faces of the pyramids do not lineup with the prism faces but with their edges, therefore the pyramid faces have four edges and appear diamond shaped instead of triangular like the pyramid faces of quartz. Rare tabular hydroxyapophyllite crystals are also known.
Cleavage is perfect in one direction (basal).
Fracture is uneven.
Hardness is 4.5 - 5.
Specific Gravity is approximately 2.3 - 2.4 (lighter than most translucent minerals).
Streak is white.
Other Characteristics: Prism faces are striated lengthwise, some specimens are fluorescent and crystals will flake when heated.
Associated Minerals are prehnite, quartz, heulandite, stilbite, natrolite, analcime, datolite, babingtonite, cavansite, calcite, idocrase, wollastonite, kinoite, gyrolite and many other zeolites.
Best Field Indicators are crystal habit, striations, associations, environment of formation, cleavage and luster on cleavage surfaces.
Fracture: uneven
Hardness: 3 Calcite
Luster: Glassy
Specific Gravity: 2.3-2.4
Streak: White
Variety: FLUOR-APOPHYLLITE
(K, Na)Ca4 Si8O20(F,OH) - 8H2O Tetragonal; 4/m 2/m 2/m White, colorless, green, yellow or violet. Some specimens fluoresce pale green or yellow.
HYDROXY- APOPHYLLITE
KCa4 Si8O20(OH, F) - 8H2O Tetragonal; 4/m 2/m 2/m White or colorless.
Ore Knob Mine, Jefferson, North Carolina non-fluorescent
NATRO-APOPHYLLITE
NaCa4 Si8O20F - 8H2O Orthorhombic; 2/m 2/m 2/m (pseudo-tetragonal) brown, brownish yellow, yellow or colorless. Sampo Mine, Takahashi, Okayama, Honshu, Japan non-fluorescent .Collection
Suomynona Mineral Collection, Suomynona CollectionAcquisition
Accession
2004.1Source or Donor
Suomynona Mineral CollectionAcquisition Method
DonationDimensions
Width
2-1/2 inDepth
1-1/2 inLength
3 inWeight
0.69 ozDimension Notes
Dimension taken at widest pointsLocation
Location
Display Case
FS-16Room
Frieda Smith HallBuilding
Crater Rock MuseumCategory
PermanentMoved By
Curtis GardnerDate
December 27, 2023Location
Display Case
DS-6Room
Delmar Smith HallBuilding
Crater Rock MuseumCategory
PermanentMoved By
Curtis GardnerDate
May 24, 2023Notes
Added current locationLocation
Container
RightWall
WestRoom
Delmar Smith HallBuilding
Crater Rock MuseumCategory
PermanentMoved By
Steve MillerDate
May 17, 2013Location
Container
centerDrawer
bottom tierShelf
east side, east sideWall
south of centerRoom
Delmar Smith HallBuilding
Crater Rock MuseumCategory
PermanentMoved By
Scott LonganDate
August 25, 2009Location
Container
RightCabinet
Case#41Wall
WestRoom
Delmar Smith HallBuilding
Crater Rock MuseumCategory
PermanentNotes
Case 15 Frieda hall, top left
