Hydroxylapatite/Fluorapatite on Microcline

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This Apatite Group mineral has recently been correctly identified as the species Hydroxylapatite - which is much less common than Fluorapatite, or as initially reported Carbonate-Fluorapatite from this locality. Scientific classification aside, these are bizarre and unusual apatites from a single large pocket of the early 2000's. They are immediately recognizable, still, today. This very attractive and balanced cabinet piece shows off a large, lustrous, 5.2cm wide Hydroxylapatite crystal which dominates this specimen and is accented by six other significant Hydroxylapatite crystals isolated on the Microcline matrix. This large, superb and pristine crystal is mostly a lively green with a little yellow-green at the base, the other crystals exhibit yellow-green cores and green rims. The Hydroxylapatite crystals are flat hexagonal bipyramids with almost no prism faces, a habit that is not often seen with the Apatite Group. Faces of a short prism can be seen on the large crystal, a rarity with this material. This is from the original, and only, 2005 find.