Apatite, Fluorite from Portugal, Panasqueira Mines - image 1

Apatite, Fluorite from Portugal, Panasqueira Mines

Panasqueira is probably the best-known mineral locality in Portugal, and with good reason. This old mine has continuously produced small quantities of really fine mineral specimens for decades. This 8 cm specimen is a beautiful example of what Panasqueira has to offer: large, pale fluorapatite crystals associated with fluorite crystals with a color and texture that might lead you to believe that they were some kind of treat. In fact, they are a treat—for your eyes!

Product details

SpeciesApatite, Fluorite
SizeSmall Cabinet
Dimensions8.0 cm
Added on09/20/2025
LocalityPortugal, Panasqueira Mines
Current owner
DU
Daniel Ulibarri
Tucson, Arizona
Acquired
Sep 2025
Member since 2025

Learn more

Apatite
Mineral guide
Learn about Apatite
hexagonal crystals with vivid greens, blues, and violets; forms range from pegmatites to alpine pockets, valued for color, form, and affordability.
Apatite
Regional guide
Apatite from Panasqueira Mines, Portugal
from the Panasqueira Mines is one of the signature mineral classics of Europe: glassy, hexagonal fluorapatite, most often in green, blue-green, colorless, pale yellow, violet, or purple crystals, set against the unmistakable Panasqueira palette of silvery arsenopyrite, ribbed black ferberite, sparkling muscovite, siderite, quartz, pyrite, sphalerite, fluorite, calcite, and other vein minerals. In serious collections the label is usually shortened to “apatite,” but the collector-specimen species from Panasqueira is fluorapatite, Ca5(PO4)3F.
Locality guide
Panasqueira Mines
Panasqueira Mines, Portugal — premier locality yielding tungsten, ferberite, arsenopyrite, fluorapatite, and colorful quartz associations prized by collectors.