Fluorapatite
Image: <a href="//commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Archaeodontosaurus" title="User:Archaeodontosaurus">Didier Descouens</a> (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Description
A large, dark green to greenish-brown, doubly-terminated hexagonal crystal of fluorapatite, approximately 32 cm long, is prominently displayed embedded within a matrix of massive, orange-pink calcite. The apatite crystal exhibits a somewhat rough, textured surface with visible striations.
Geological Context
Fluorapatite is a common accessory mineral found in a wide range of igneous, metamorphic, and sedimentary rocks. Large, well-formed crystals like this specimen from the Yates mine are typically found in pegmatites, hydrothermal veins, or contact metamorphic deposits, often associated with carbonate rocks or skarns, which aligns with the calcite matrix.
