Apatite
Chemical Formula
Ca5(F,OH,Cl)(PO4)3
Chemical Class
Phosphates
Properties
It has prismatic habit, often finished in pyramids. Its most common colors are blue and green, but it also exists in brown, colorless, and more rarely, rose color. It is a hardness 5 mineral in Mohs scale.
Origin
Conselheiro Pena, MG.
Curiosities
Name used in 1788, from Greek origin, apatao, meaning deceitful, as it was mistaken for beryls and other hexagon minerals.
Use
Apatite is the most relevant phosphorous source, used in chemical and pharmaceutical industries. However, is main use is fertilizer input.
Source: MM Gerdau - Museu das Minas e do Metal -