Fluorcaphite
A valid IMA mineral species
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About Fluorcaphite
Formula:
SrCaCa3(PO4)3F
Colour:
Bright yellow
Lustre:
Vitreous
Hardness:
5
Specific Gravity:
3.60
Crystal System:
Hexagonal
Member of:
Name:
Named after its constituting elements of fluorine, calcium, and phosphorous
Type Locality:
Unique Identifiers
Mindat ID:
6948
Long-form identifier:
mindat:1:1:6948:5
IMA Classification of Fluorcaphite
Approved
Approval year:
1996
First published:
1997
Classification of Fluorcaphite
8.BN.05
8 : PHOSPHATES, ARSENATES, VANADATES
B : Phosphates, etc., with additional anions, without H2O
N : With only large cations, (OH, etc.):RO4 = 0.33:1
8 : PHOSPHATES, ARSENATES, VANADATES
B : Phosphates, etc., with additional anions, without H2O
N : With only large cations, (OH, etc.):RO4 = 0.33:1
Mineral Symbols
As of 2021 there are now IMA–CNMNC approved mineral symbols (abbreviations) for each mineral species, useful for tables and diagrams.
| Symbol | Source | Reference for Standard |
|---|---|---|
| Fcp | IMA–CNMNC | Warr, L.N. (2021). IMA–CNMNC approved mineral symbols. Mineralogical Magazine, 85(3), 291-320. doi:10.1180/mgm.2021.43 |
Physical Properties of Fluorcaphite
Vitreous
Colour:
Bright yellow
Hardness:
5 on Mohs scale
Tenacity:
Brittle
Density:
3.60 g/cm3 (Measured) 3.57 g/cm3 (Calculated)
Optical Data of Fluorcaphite
Type:
Uniaxial (-)
RI values:
nω = 1.649 nε = 1.637
Max. Birefringence:
δ = 0.012
Based on recorded range of RI values above.
Based on recorded range of RI values above.
Interference Colours:
The colours simulate birefringence patterns seen in thin section under crossed polars. They do not take into account mineral colouration or opacity.
Michel-Levy Bar The default colours simulate the birefringence range for a 30 µm thin-section thickness. Adjust the slider to simulate a different thickness.
Grain Simulation You can rotate the grain simulation to show how this range might look as you rotated a sample under crossed polars. Each grain retains its interference colour (retardation) while its brightness falls to black at extinction and reaches a maximum between extinction positions.
The colours simulate birefringence patterns seen in thin section under crossed polars. They do not take into account mineral colouration or opacity.
Michel-Levy Bar The default colours simulate the birefringence range for a 30 µm thin-section thickness. Adjust the slider to simulate a different thickness.
Grain Simulation You can rotate the grain simulation to show how this range might look as you rotated a sample under crossed polars. Each grain retains its interference colour (retardation) while its brightness falls to black at extinction and reaches a maximum between extinction positions.
Surface Relief:
High (positive)
Relative to Canada balsam mounting medium (n ≈ 1.537).
Relative to Canada balsam mounting medium (n ≈ 1.537).
This shows the grain boundary and Becke line effect under plane-polarised
light, based on the contrast between this mineral's average refractive
index and the mounting medium. It does not take into account mineral
colouration.
In focus
Interference Figure:
This shows the idealized uniaxial interference figure - the conoscopic
(convergent-light, Bertrand-lens-in) view, for a grain cut with the optic axis
centred and vertical. The coloured rings are isochromatics, computed with the
same physics as the Michel-Lévy bar above; the dark cross is the isogyre.
For a genuinely uniaxial mineral viewed this way, that cross stays perfectly stationary if you rotate the stage - unlike a biaxial mineral, where it splits apart on rotation. That invariance is itself the standard diagnostic test for telling uniaxial and biaxial minerals apart at the microscope.
For a genuinely uniaxial mineral viewed this way, that cross stays perfectly stationary if you rotate the stage - unlike a biaxial mineral, where it splits apart on rotation. That invariance is itself the standard diagnostic test for telling uniaxial and biaxial minerals apart at the microscope.
Chemistry of Fluorcaphite
Mindat Formula:
SrCaCa3(PO4)3F
Element Weights:
Crystallography of Fluorcaphite
Crystal System:
Hexagonal
Class (H-M):
6/m - Dipyramidal
Space Group:
P63/m
Cell Parameters:
a = 9.485(3) Å, c = 7.000(3) Å
Ratio:
a:c = 1 : 0.738
Unit Cell V:
545.39 ų (Calculated from Unit Cell)
Z:
2
Crystal Structure
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Data courtesy of the American Mineralogist Crystal Structure Database. Click on an AMCSD ID to view structure
| ID | Species | Reference | Link | Year | Locality | Pressure (GPa) | Temp (K) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0006015 | Fluorcaphite | Chakhmouradian A R, Hughes J M, Rakovan J F (2005) Fluorcaphite, a second occurrence and detailed structural analysis: Simultaneous accommodation of Ca, Sr, Na, LREE in the apatite atomic arrangement The Canadian Mineralogist 43 735-746 |  | 2005 | 0 | 293 | |
| 0006014 | Fluorcaphite | Chakhmouradian A R, Hughes J M, Rakovan J F (2005) Fluorcaphite, a second occurrence and detailed structural analysis: Simultaneous accommodation of Ca, Sr, Na, LREE in the apatite atomic arrangement The Canadian Mineralogist 43 735-746 | | 2005 | 0 | 293 |
CIF Raw Data - click here to close
X-Ray Powder Diffraction
Powder Diffraction Data:
| d-spacing | Intensity |
|---|---|
| 3.498 Å | (45) |
| 2.838 Å | (100) |
| 2.814 Å | (48) |
| 2.740 Å | (53) |
| 1.865 Å | (31) |
Geological Environment
Paragenetic Mode(s):
| Paragenetic Mode | Earliest Age (Ga) |
|---|---|
| Stage 4b: Highly evolved igneous rocks | >3.0 |
| 36 : Carbonatites, kimberlites, and related igneous rocks |
Type Occurrence of Fluorcaphite
General Appearance of Type Material:
Subhedral prisms up to 5 mm long, and in aggregates up to 15 mm across.
Place of Conservation of Type Material:
A. E. Fersman Mineralogical Museum, Moscow, Russia.
Geological Setting of Type Material:
In miarolitic cavities in the central part of a hyperagpaitic pegmatite in ijolite-urtite.
Associated Minerals at Type Locality:
Synonyms of Fluorcaphite
Other Language Names for Fluorcaphite
Relationship of Fluorcaphite to other Species
Member of:
Other Members of Belovite Group:
| Belovite-(Ce) | NaCeSr3(PO4)3F | Trig. 3 : P3 |
| Belovite-(La) | NaLaSr3(PO4)3F | Trig. 3 : P3 |
| Carlgieseckeite-(Nd) | NaNdCa3(PO4)3F | Trig. 3 : P3 |
| Deloneite | (Na0.5REE0.25Ca0.25)(Ca0.75REE0.25)Sr1.5(CaNa0.25REE0.25)(PO4)3F0.5(OH)0.5 | Trig. 3 : P3 |
| Fluorstrophite | SrCaSr3(PO4)3F | Hex. 6/m : P63/m |
| Kuannersuite-(Ce) | NaCeBa3(PO4)3F0.5Cl0.5 | Trig. 3 : P3 |
Common Associates
Associations Based on Photo Data:
| 3 photos of Fluorcaphite associated with Pectolite | NaCa2Si3O8(OH) |
| 1 photo of Fluorcaphite associated with Fluorapatite | Ca5(PO4)3F |
| 1 photo of Fluorcaphite associated with Aenigmatite | Na4[Fe2+10Ti2]O4[Si12O36] |
| 1 photo of Fluorcaphite associated with 'Unnamed (Sr-Ca Fluor Phosphate)' | Ca3Sr2(PO4)3F |
| 1 photo of Fluorcaphite associated with K Feldspar | |
| 1 photo of Fluorcaphite associated with Villiaumite | NaF |
Related Minerals - Strunz-mindat Grouping
| 8.BN. | Fluoralforsite | Ba5(PO4)3F |
| 8.BN. | Aradite | BaCa6[(SiO4)(VO4)](VO4)2F |
| 8.BN. | Magganasite | CuFe3+3O(AsO4)3 |
| 8.BN. | Fluorpyromorphite | Pb5(PO4)3F |
| 8.BN. | Fluorsigaiite | Ca2Sr3(PO4)3F |
| 8.BN.05 | Pieczkaite | Mn5(PO4)3Cl |
| 8.BN.05 | Fluorapatite | Ca5(PO4)3F |
| 8.BN.05 | Vanadinite | Pb5(VO4)3Cl |
| 8.BN.05 | Hedyphane | Ca2Pb3(AsO4)3Cl |
| 8.BN.05 | Hydroxylhedyphane | Ca2Pb3(AsO4)3(OH) |
| 8.BN.05 | 'Mimetite-M' | Pb5(AsO4)3Cl |
| 8.BN.05 | Johnbaumite | Ca5(AsO4)3(OH) |
| 8.BN.05 | Pliniusite | Ca5(VO4)3F |
| 8.BN.05 | 'Hydroxylapatite-M' | Ca5(PO4)3OH |
| 8.BN.05 | Hydroxylpyromorphite | Pb5(PO4)3(OH) |
| 8.BN.05 | Miyahisaite | (Sr,Ca)2Ba3(PO4)3F |
| 8.BN.05 | Carlgieseckeite-(Nd) | NaNdCa3(PO4)3F |
| 8.BN.05 | Belovite-(Ce) | NaCeSr3(PO4)3F |
| 8.BN.05 | Kuannersuite-(Ce) | NaCeBa3(PO4)3F0.5Cl0.5 |
| 8.BN.05 | Alforsite | Ba5(PO4)3Cl |
| 8.BN.05 | 'Unnamed (OH-analogue of Mimetite)' | Pb5(AsO4)3(OH) |
| 8.BN.05 | Stronadelphite | Sr5(PO4)3F |
| 8.BN.05 | Parafiniukite | Ca2Mn3(PO4)3Cl |
| 8.BN.05 | Mimetite | Pb5(AsO4)3Cl |
| 8.BN.05 va | 'Germanate-pyromorphite' | Pb5(PO4)2GeO4 |
| 8.BN.05 | Belovite-(La) | NaLaSr3(PO4)3F |
| 8.BN.05 | Fluorphosphohedyphane | Ca2Pb3(PO4)3F |
| 8.BN.05 | Fluorstrophite | SrCaSr3(PO4)3F |
| 8.BN.05 | Hydroxylapatite | Ca5(PO4)3(OH) |
| 8.BN.05 | 'Johnbaumite-M' | Ca5(AsO4)3OH |
| 8.BN.05 | Phosphohedyphane | Ca2Pb3(PO4)3Cl |
| 8.BN.05 | Turneaureite | Ca5(AsO4)3Cl |
| 8.BN.05 | Morelandite | Ca2Ba3(AsO4)3Cl |
| 8.BN.05 | 'Oxypyromorphite' | Pb10(PO4)6O |
| 8.BN.05 | Deloneite | (Na0.5REE0.25Ca0.25)(Ca0.75REE0.25)Sr1.5(CaNa0.25REE0.25)(PO4)3F0.5(OH)0.5 |
| 8.BN.05 | Chlorapatite | Ca5(PO4)3Cl |
| 8.BN.05 | Pyromorphite | Pb5(PO4)3Cl |
| 8.BN.05 | Vanackerite | Pb4Cd(AsO4)3Cl |
| 8.BN.05 | Svabite | Ca5(AsO4)3F |
| 8.BN.10 | Arctite | Na2Ca4(PO4)3F |
| 8.BN.10 | Krügerite | BaCa6(SiO4)2[(P0.5S0.5)O4]2F |
| 8.BN.15 | Goryainovite | Ca2(PO4)Cl |
Other Information
IR Spectrum:
Distinct absorption bands at 400, 573, 601, 953, 1000 (shoulder), 1039, 1090 (shoulder), and two weak bands at 3360 and 3490 cm-1, generally corresponding to spectra for the apatite family.
Notes:
Readily soluble in 10% HCl or HNO3.
Health Risks:
No information on health risks for this material has been entered into the database. You should always treat mineral specimens with care.
Internet Links for Fluorcaphite
mindat.org URL:
https://www.mindat.org/min-6948.html
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References for Fluorcaphite
Localities for Fluorcaphite
Showing 12 localities.
symbol to view information about a locality.
The Locality List
- This locality has map coordinates listed.
- This locality has estimated coordinates.
ⓘ - Click for references and further information on this occurrence.
? - Indicates mineral may be doubtful at this locality.
- Good crystals or important locality for species.
- World class for species or very significant.
(TL) - Type Locality for a valid mineral species.
(FRL) - First Recorded Locality for everything else (eg varieties).
All localities listed without proper references should be considered as questionable.
Brazil | |
| Guarino et al. (2021) +1 other reference |
Czech Republic | |
| Jirasek et al. (2026) |
| Matýsek et al. (2025) |
Russia | |
| Osipov et al. (2021) |
| Pekov (1998) +3 other references |
| N. V. Chukanov et al.: ZVMO 132 (5) +1 other reference |
| Pakhomovsky et al. (2014) | |
| Chakhmouradian et al. (2005) | |
| Selivanova et al. (2024) | |
| maurice.strahlen.org (2003) | |
Tajikistan | |
| I. Pekov data pers. comm L. Horvath 2008 |
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Koashva Open Pit, Koashva Mt, Murmansk Oblast, Russia