Name/Title
FluorapophylliteEntry/Object ID
2004.1.44Description
Assemblage Zone: pegmatite dikes
Chemical Composition: (K,Na)Ca4Si8O20(F,OH) - 8
Crystal System: Tetragonal System
Description: Common Name: Apophyllite
Group Name: Apophyllite
Chemistry: (K,Na)Ca4Si8O20(F,OH) - 8H2OColor is clear, white, green, yellow, pink, violet or rarely brown.
Location: Rahuri, Maharashtra, India
Description: Small green squared crystals.
PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS
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.n.
Best Field Indicators are crystal habit, striations, associations, environment of formation, cleavage and luster on cleavage surfaces.
Fracture: uneven
Hardness: 5 Apatite
Luster: Vitreous
Occurrence: Apophyllite specimens are found in ancient lava and basalt flows. The crystals grow in the now solid cavities, called amygdules or vesicles, formed by air bubbles when the rock was molten. Apophyllite is also found in the voids in the contact metamorphic zone limestones that surround intrusive rocks.
Notable Occurrences are extensive and include the Deccan Traps (ancient basalt flows) in India especially around Poona, also found in Christmas Mine, Arizona; Fairfax, Virginia; Upper Peninsula, Michigan; Oregon; Pennsylvania; Paterson, New Jersey and North Carolina, USA; Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil; Isle of Skye, Scotland; Collinward, Northern Ireland; Mexico; Nova Scotia and Mont Saint-Hilaire, Canada; Iceland; Kongsberg, Norway; Harz Mountains, Germany and Sampo Mine, Takahashi, Okayama, Honshu, Japa
Specific Gravity: 2.3-2.4
Streak: White
Variety: FLUORAPOPHYLLITE (K, Na)Ca4Si8O20(F,OH) - 8H2O Tetragonal;
4/m 2/m 2/m White, colorless, green, yellow or violet Not named Some specimens fluoresce pale green or yellow
HYDROXYAPOPHYLLITE KCa4Si8O20(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 (pseudotetragonal) brown, brownish yellow, yellow or colorless Sampo Mine, Takahashi, Okayama, Honshu, Japan Non-fluorescentCollection
Suomynona Mineral Collection, Suomynona CollectionAcquisition
Accession
2004.1Source or Donor
Suomynona Mineral CollectionAcquisition Method
DonationDimensions
Width
2-1/4 inLength
3-1/2 inWeight
0.9 ozDimension Notes
Dimension taken at widest pointsLocation
Location
Display Case
FS-16Room
Frieda Smith HallBuilding
Crater Rock MuseumCategory
PermanentMoved By
Curtis GardnerDate
May 25, 2023Notes
Added current locationLocation
Container
centerDrawer
bottom tierShelf
east side, east sideWall
SE of centerRoom
Delmar Smith HallBuilding
Crater Rock MuseumCategory
PermanentMoved By
Scott LonganDate
August 25, 2009Location
Container
RightCabinet
Case#39Wall
WestRoom
Delmar Smith HallBuilding
Crater Rock MuseumCategory
Permanent