Apatite | mineral | Britannica
Apatite, any member of a series of phosphate minerals, the world’s major source of phosphorus, found as variously coloured glassy crystals, masses, or nodules. If not for its softness (Mohs hardness 5, compared with the 7 to 9 of most gems), apatite would be a popular gemstone; much of the material found is clear, but it is fragile and difficult to cut and polish.
Which Minerals Include Phosphate?
Apatite is a family of minerals centered around fluorapatite, or calcium phosphate with a bit of fluorine, with the formula Ca 5 (PO 4) 3 F. Other members of the apatite group have chlorine or hydroxyl that take the place of the fluorine; silicon, arsenic or vanadium replace the phosphorus (and carbonate replace the phosphate group); and strontium, lead, and other elements substitute for the calcium.
Apatite - an overview | ScienceDirect Topics
Apatite (Ca 10 (PO 4) 6 (OH,F,Cl) 2) is the most common mineral for phosphates production, particularly for fertilizers and phosphoric acid. Apatite can be igneous or sedimentary. Almost all apatite ores contain rare earth elements, but igneous apatite has a higher concentration than sedimentary apatite.
Apatite: The mineral apatite information and pictures
Apatite is the main source of phosphorus. Phosphorus was previously extracted from crystalline Apatite, but nowadays is extracted from enormous deposits of Apatite-rich rock. Apatite is essential in the manufacture of phosphate fertilizers, and is very important in …
Why is apatite important as a fertilizer that contains ...
Jan 02, 2018 · Apatite itself is a good source of phosphorus. This becomes more aparent when examining its stone formula: Ca5(PO4)3 and either OH, F or Cl. Thus, apatite’s role is a phisphorus …
Phosphorous availability influences the dissolution of ...
Although apatite is the predominant form of mineral phosphorus in the Earth’s crust, biological forms (i.e. dental and skeletal apatite) have received most attention in kinetic studies. Dissolution experiments with fluorapatite under geologically relevant conditions demonstrate that rates are
Geochemistry of Uranium in Apatite and Phosphorite
THE GEOCHEMISTRY OF URANIUM IN APATITE AND PHOSPHORITE By Z. S. ALTSCHULEK, K. S. CLAKKE, JR., and E. J. YOUNG ABSTRACT Apatite contains only traces of uranium, yet as apatite is a minor constituent in most rocks and the major constituent of a few very large deposits, it accounts, paradoxically, for both
Phosphate Deposits - USGS
About 200 minerals are known that contain 1 percent or more P2O5.1 Most of the phosphorus in the earths crust, however, occurs in species of the apatite group, Cai0 (P04,C03 )6 (F,Cl,OH)2 (Palache and others, 1951, p. 877; Altschuler and others, 1958; Deer and others, 1962, p. 324).
Geochemistry of phosphorus and the behavior of apatite ...
The concentration of phosphorus in glassy melt inclusions and rehomogenized nanogranitoids suggests a strong control of melt aluminosity on apatite solubility in peraluminous granites, which is consistent with existing experimental studies.
Occurrence of phosphorus minerals in Australian coal seams ...
The apatite-bearing plies in Hole 15176 have phosphorus contents of around 0.1%. This is considerably higher than the phosphorus content of the coals elsewhere in the seam section, or even those at the equivalent seam horizon in Hole 15177.
Phosphorus in prebiotic chemistry - PubMed Central (PMC)
Oct 29, 2006 · Gulick pointed out that the only significant source for phosphorus on Earth was the slightly soluble mineral apatite.
The role of intracellular calcium ... - PubMed Central (PMC)
Aug 28, 2012 · Our observation here that calcium and phosphorus-containing vesicles also exist intracellularly is in keeping with recent observations of intracellular, vesicle-enclosed calcium phosphate in developing mouse stone , and suggests that an intracellular process may play a role in stone apatite …
APATITE (Calcium (Fluoro-, Chloro-, Hydroxyl-) Phosphate)
Apatite is actually three different minerals depending on the predominance of either fluorine, chlorine or the hydroxyl group. These ions can freely substitute in the crystal lattice and all three are usually present in every specimen although some specimens have been close to 100% in one or the other.
Phosphorus Fertilizer Production and Technology
and P minerals (apatite) was patented in mid 1800s. • Today most P fertilizer production is based on acidification of apatite. from phosphate rock (PR) Guano mining, Chincha Islands, Peru, 1860 Guano mining, Chincha Islands, Peru 1860 U.S. phosphate operation, late 1800s. The stone symbol for the element phosphorus is P.
The role of intracellular calcium phosphate in osteoblast ...
Our observation here that calcium and phosphorus-containing vesicles also exist intracellularly is in keeping with recent obser-vations of intracellular, vesicle-enclosed calcium phosphate in de-veloping mouse stone (12), and suggests that an intracellular process may play a role in stone apatite …