Cochise College          Photos of Minerals

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                          Roger Weller, geology instructor

                          [email protected]
                                  copyright 2006-R.Weller
 

Mineral Information on:
apophyllite

Chemical Group:    silicate

Chemical Formula:    KF.Ca₄(Si₂O₅)₄.8H₂O

Color:  colorless, white, pale gray, pale green, pale yellow, pale pink, flesh-red

Transparency:  transparent          Fracture:  uneven

Hardness:  4.5 to 5                Specific Gravity:   2.3 to 2.4                 

Cleavage:   (001)-perfect, (110) less perfect

Crystal Forms:  Tetragonal system
     There is quite a bit of variation:  cube-like crystals, elongated octahedrons, tetragonal prisms capped with pronounces, elongated pyramids.

Mineral Associations: occurs as a secondary mineral in basalt; zeolites, datolite, pectolite

Identifying Characteristics:  crystal shape and mode of occurrence

Uses:

Occurrences:  India, Mexico; Patterson, New Jersey 

Toxicity:      when-swallowed-                            when inhaled-

Additional Information: