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Fluorapophyllite

infos

main description

GENERAL DESCRIPTION

Fluorapophyllite is a potassium and calcium silicate. It constitutes the fluorinated end-member of apophyllite. It is of hydrothermal origins and is formed within the basaltic vesicles and certain ore veins.

The crystals of fluorapophyllite are prismatic, transparent, colourless to green in colour. They are associated to zeolites such as stilbite.

The best known deposits of fluorapophyllite are Poonah (associates to pink-salmon stilbite) Jalgaon (very brilliant colourless crystals) and Lonaula (large green crystals) in India, Broken Hill in Australia (pyramidal crystals up to 3cm).

In France, it is present close to Saint-Jean des Ollières in Puy de Dôme et near Champagnac la Rivière in Haute-Vienne.

The place of conservation of the type of this species is unknown.

Identity card

HISTORY : Name given because of its chemical composition; it is the fluorine species of apophyllite

Species first described in 1978 by Pete Dunn (1942-) and Wilson, american mineralogists

Type-locality: unknown

CHEMICAL FORMULA : K Ca4 Si8O20 (F,OH) 8H2O
CRYSTAL SYSTEM : Tetragonal
COLOR : Colorless, white, green, pink, brown, yellow
DIAPHANIETY : Transparent to translucent
LUSTER : Vitreous to pearly
STREAK : White
MORPHOLOGIE : Tabular to prismatic crystals
HARDNESS : 4,5-5,0
CHEMICAL CLASS: 2,37

DENSITY : VIII - Silicates
GROUP : Apophyllite
STRUNZ CLASS BEFORE 2001 : 8/H.01-20
STRUNZ CLASS AFTER 2001 : 9.EA.15
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