On this page
UnderstandWhat it is, what people ask, how far this page goes
Natural inorganic gem materials · Mineral group / supergroup · Natural identity; treatment status unknown
Apatite
The group name and field name for the apatite group; gem-quality material is mostly fluorapatite, and no single chemical formula should be given before the species is determined. This page compares how the major standards and institutions name it, what must be disclosed when selling it, whether it can be worn every day, how it is treated and identified, and which source each conclusion comes from.
Price, rarity and origin are outside the scope of this wiki.
What this page can answer
This page covers
- How Apatite forms and what gives its colourFormation setting, process and timescale; where its colour and optical effects come from, each finding graded and sourced
- How to identify ApatiteHow far lab testing can go and whether a synthetic exists
- Treatments and enhancements of ApatiteThe enhancements and treatments the GB/T and JJA/AGL tables list
- Caring for and wearing ApatiteCleaning, heat, chemicals and light, as the cited sources give them
- Hardness, density and refractive index of ApatiteEach value with its source and check date
- Apatite in English, Chinese and Japanese; national standard namesNames in four languages, the GB/T standard name and the suggested listing name; and: Which of GIA, FTC, CIBJO and Gem-A have a name for it on record, and do those agree?
- Listing and disclosing ApatiteThe listing name to use; what must be disclosed before sale
- Standard clauses that define ApatiteWhich clause defines it, each cross-checked
What we cannot conclude
- Whether one particular bead is natural, treated or synthetic — only a laboratory report can settle that.
- Geographic origin, unless an origin report accompanies the item.
- Price, rarity or investment value: this wiki covers naming and disclosure only.
Material research: formation, causes and history
What authoritative sources say about how this material forms, what causes its colour and optical effects, where its name comes from and how people have used it. Each statement carries an evidence grade and its sources; it describes the material in general, not any specific piece.
How it forms
Apatite is a group of minerals rather than a single mineral species, of the hexagonal crystal system, general formula Ca5(PO4)3(F,Cl,OH). The most common, fluorine-rich end member is known as fluorapatite. Gem-quality apatite shows a variety of colors and is usually transparent to translucent. Blue apatite is particularly rare and popular; research indicates that its blue color results from the replacement of PO4³⁻ by MnO4³⁻, which makes natural blue apatite and synthetic MnO4 3–-bearing compounds show similar optical absorption and emission spectra. Because 'apatite' is a group name, the exact species of any given sample requires identification.
Scope: Covers the definition of "apatite" as a group of mineral species (group name/field name), its general formula and the cause of its blue colour; assignment to a specific mineral species must be determined separately, and synthetic materials are not addressed.
Sources G&G Spring 2013
Where it forms
The available source (the GIA report on blue cat's-eye apatite) does not describe apatite's geological occurrence environment; this gap is recorded in limitations.
Sources G&G Spring 2013
How it forms, step by step
Apatite belongs to the hexagonal crystal system with the general formula Ca5(PO4)3(F,Cl,OH); the most common fluorine-rich end member is fluorapatite.
Sources G&G Spring 2013
In blue apatite, part of the PO4³⁻ is substituted by MnO4³⁻.
Sources G&G Spring 2013
This substitution makes the optical absorption and emission spectra of natural blue apatite similar to those of synthetic MnO4 3–-bearing compounds, thereby producing the blue color.
Sources G&G Spring 2013
Link to appearance
Apatite is usually transparent to translucent and shows a variety of colors; blue is relatively rare and is related to the replacement of PO4³⁻ by MnO4³⁻. A cat's-eye effect is frequent in apatite whose bodycolour is green or yellow, whereas it is very rare in deep blue apatite.
Sources G&G Spring 2013
Timescale
The available source does not state a timescale for apatite formation.
Sources G&G Spring 2013
Related base materials
- Fluorapatite: The most common apatite-group end-member in gem materials, falling under the group/field name 'apatite'; the exact mineral species of a given specimen must be determined by testing.
Recorded localities
Authoritative sources list the localities below; the list is not exhaustive.
Africa
- Ambilobe and Daraina area, Antsiranana, Madagascar
Sources Gems & Gemology Winter 2000 · Gems & Gemology Fall 2010
Asia
- near Pech, Kunar, Afghanistan
Sources Handbook of Mineralogy
- Chumar Bakhoor, Nagar, Karakoram
Sources Handbook of Mineralogy
Europe
- Panasqueira, Portugal
Sources Handbook of Mineralogy
North America
- Cerro de Mercado, Durango, Mexico
Sources Gems & Gemology Fall 2010 · Handbook of Mineralogy
- Mount Apatite, Auburn, Maine, United States
Sources Handbook of Mineralogy
South America
- Minas Gerais, Brazil
Sources Handbook of Mineralogy
These are localities recorded by authoritative sources, not an origin finding for any individual piece. The CIBJO Gemstone Book (2022, §4.2.3) says a place of origin names where a gem was mined or harvested, is a matter of opinion, does not imply a level of quality, and that cutting, processing or exporting centres must not be used to imply origin. See how far testing can go on this page, the origin determination guide and the overview of recorded localities.
Causes of colour and optical effects
The blue color of blue apatite results from the substitution of PO4³⁻ by MnO4³⁻.
Evidence grade AScope: Applies to the color origin of blue apatite; this conclusion is cited from literature, and the GIA report notes that the specific stone still needs further research.
Sources G&G Spring 2013
Other research findings
'Apatite' is a group of minerals rather than a single mineral species; the most common end member in gem material is the fluorine-rich fluorapatite.
Evidence grade AScope: Defines 'apatite' as a group name; the exact species of a given sample requires further identification.
Sources G&G Spring 2013
Apatite belongs to the hexagonal crystal system with the general formula Ca5(PO4)3(F,Cl,OH).
Evidence grade AScope: Gives the general formula, not the quantitative composition of a specific end member.
Sources G&G Spring 2013
A cat’s-eye effect shows up often in apatite that is green or yellow, but it is distinctly uncommon in deep blue apatite.
Evidence grade AScope: Describes the frequency of chatoyancy, without explaining its specific mechanism.
Sources G&G Spring 2013
Limits of this research
- Research status: Only partial material-specific findings found; gaps are stated as gaps
- No Handbook of Mineralogy entry for apatite could be consulted, so a dedicated mineralogical-database source is missing.
- The available source covers only gemology and the origin of blue color; it does not describe apatite's geological occurrence or growth mechanisms, so the formation setting and process steps given here trace the chain from composition to color rather than a natural crystallisation sequence.
- 'Apatite' is a group name, not a single mineral species; the exact species of a given gem material (e.g. fluorapatite) requires testing, and this record cannot determine the species of any particular sample.
- The blue-color conclusion is cited from the literature (P.D. Johnson et al., Science); GIA notes that the specific stone still requires further research.
Methodology
- Origin determination and its limits
- Quality grading and value factors
- How gemmology became a technical discipline
Evidence grades
- A
- Standards bodies, government geological surveys, peer-reviewed research and museum records
- B
- Institutional educational material
- C
- Specialist databases or cautious readings
A statement is never graded above its strongest source.
This section is LumaLark's own factual restatement of public authoritative sources, credited item by item; it contains no verbatim excerpts, images or third-party logos.
DecideListing name, disclosure, care and treatments
- Suggested listing name
- Apatite
GB/T 16552—2017 Table A.1 “Apatite” · CIBJO Gemmological Laboratories Book 2024 §7.2.1.20 “Apatite”
Construction or treatment status
Natural identity; treatment status unknown
Related:Disclosure and cautions
This page cannot answer
Natural? · Origin · Price
A lab report settles these; this wiki covers naming and disclosure.
Related:What this page can answer
Answer at a glance
"Apatite" is a market name rather than a mineral species name; before using it, verify: Industry-wide term that does not denote a single species.
What this means for you
Before buying, check the recommended listing name "Apatite" and any disclosed treatments on this page, and ask the seller for a grading report if in doubt.
Known uncertainty
- This entry's exact material identity is not fully settled.
- See “Disclosure and cautions” above
- Last reviewed
- 2026-09-01
Trade-name ruling
- Industry-wide term that does not denote a single species.
- Suggested listing name
- Apatite
Care and wear
Normal care for every gemstone (CIBJO Gemstone Book §6.1), in brief:
- Handle it gently.
- Store pieces apart when not worn, so they cannot scratch each other.
- Clean with warm soapy water and a soft brush.
- Use ultrasonic cleaners only with caution.
The §6.1 wording and the full list of §6.2 special-care letters cited on this page are on the general gem care page.
Care
Each row's “Source & check” expands to the full source; the date beside it is the fact check date.
VerifyNames, standards, technical facts, clauses and sources
Names
Standard and listing namesThe Chinese formal name for Apatite comes from GB/T 16552—2017 Table A.1, and the suggested listing name is Apatite. Japanese namesThe Japanese GSJ formal name is written in kanji. Names in four languagesThe four-language names are given in Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, English (Apatite) and Japanese (a transliteration and the kanji name). Trade and mineralogical namesThe mineralogical name is a group or field name: gem material is commonly fluorapatite, and the species can only be fixed by testing. Institution usageAmong authority wordings, CIBJO's Gemmological Laboratories Book 2024 lists Apatite; the FTC source text has no wording for Apatite (checked); GIA and Gem-A have not been checked. Bodies without a recorded wording show the entry's own English name, which does not represent their position.
- GSJ (Japan) formal name
- 燐灰石
- Chinese formal name
- 磷灰石 (GB/T 16552—2017 Table A.1)
- Mineralogical name
- Apatite group/field name; gem material is commonly fluorapatite, but species requires identification
Four-language names
- 简体中文
- 磷灰石
- 繁體中文
- 磷灰石
- English
- Apatite
- 日本語
- アパタイト／燐灰石
See also: Misleading and prohibited trade names · Supplementary name index
Classification
- Origin
- Natural materials
- Material domain
- Natural inorganic gem materials
- Browsing family
- Phosphate minerals
- Identity tier
- Mineral group / supergroup
- Mineral chemical class
- Phosphates
- Construction or treatment status
- Natural identity; treatment status unknown
Treatments listed by standards
In the table of principal gem names in the JJA/AGL (Japan) definitions and nomenclature, November 2025 revision, Apatite is given as the gem name with the species apatite, the colours are green, colourless, yellow, blue, violet, pink and brown, and an untreated tier is listed separately. How to read the JJA/AGL table: see the Gem treatments page.
JJA/AGL (Japan) table of principal gem names, 2025
This table scrolls sideways on narrow screens.
| Gem name | Species | Colour | Listed in the table | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apatite | Apatite | green, colourless, yellow, blue, violet, pink, brown | an untreated tier is listed |
JJA/AGL definitions and nomenclature (2025 revision), table of principal gem names, p.9
How to read the JJA/AGL table: see the Gem treatments page.
What it is and how it's identified
Among the registered material facts for Apatite: composition Ca5(PO4)3(F,OH,Cl); crystalline, hexagonal, with a hexagonal prismatic habit; Mohs hardness 5–5.5, with two imperfect cleavages. The density of 3.13–3.23 g/cm³ is worked out from the cited clause's 3.18 and tolerance of ±0.05; the refractive index of 1.628–1.65 is worked out from the cited clause's 1.634–1.638 and tolerance of +0.012, −0.006; birefringence is 0.002–0.008, with the registered general note that the clause also gives finer sub-ranges and the overall value is used. Optic character is anisotropic, uniaxial, optically negative; transparency is registered as transparent to translucent; the vitreous lustre is registered for the untreated state.
Registered material facts
Each row carries its own source and check date and can be cited on its own; “—” means the cited source gives no value, not “none”.
Definition
Apatite — nomenclature status: IMA status Rn: renamed (a mineral already known, given a new name in the IMA era).
CIBJO Gemmological Laboratories Book 2024
Source & check 2026-09-22
- Source
- Fact checked on
- 2026-09-22
Apatite — composition (chemistry): Ca5 (PO4) 3 (F,OH,Cl)
GB/T 16553—2017
- Does this standard apply
- applies to this entry
Source & check 2026-09-21
- Source
- GB/T 16553—2017 Gems — Testing (GB/T): §5.1.24 (locator checked 2026-09-21)
- Fact checked on
- 2026-09-21
Structure
Apatite — structure (overall): crystalline
GB/T 16553—2017
- Does this standard apply
- applies to this entry
Source & check 2026-09-21
- Source
- GB/T 16553—2017 Gems — Testing (GB/T): §5.1.24 (locator checked 2026-09-21)
- Fact checked on
- 2026-09-21
Apatite — structure (crystal system): hexagonal
GB/T 16553—2017
- Does this standard apply
- applies to this entry
Source & check 2026-09-21
- Source
- GB/T 16553—2017 Gems — Testing (GB/T): §5.1.24 (locator checked 2026-09-21)
- Fact checked on
- 2026-09-21
Apatite — structure (crystal habit): hexagonal
GB/T 16553—2017
- Does this standard apply
- applies to this entry
Source & check 2026-09-21
- Source
- GB/T 16553—2017 Gems — Testing (GB/T): §5.1.24 (locator checked 2026-09-21)
- Fact checked on
- 2026-09-21
Durability
Apatite — Mohs hardness: 5–5.5
GB/T 16553—2017
Reference points on this site: Talc 1–3, Fluorite 4, Orthoclase 6–6.5, Topaz 8, Diamond 10 (Source: GB/T 16553—2017); Gypsum 1.5–2, Calcite 3, Quartz 7 (Source: Handbook of Mineralogy); Corundum 9 (Source: GIA Gem Encyclopedia (care guide))
- Does this standard apply
- applies to this entry
Source & check 2026-09-20
- Source
- GB/T 16553—2017 Gems — Testing (GB/T): §5.1.24 (locator checked 2026-09-20)
- Fact checked on
- 2026-09-20
Apatite — cleavage: imperfect in two directions
GB/T 16553—2017
- Does this standard apply
- applies to this entry
Source & check 2026-09-21
- Source
- GB/T 16553—2017 Gems — Testing (GB/T): §5.1.24 (locator checked 2026-09-21)
- Fact checked on
- 2026-09-21
Apatite — stability: low hardness, so it scratches easily; no ultrasonic cleaning.
CIBJO Gemstone Book 2022
CIBJO Gemstone Book §6.2:special-care code a, special-care code j
- Treatment state
- untreated
Source & check 2026-09-21
- Source
- CIBJO Blue Book — Official Gemstone Book (Coloured Stone Commission 2022) (CIBJO): §8 Annex C, Apatite, p.34; §6.2 a, j (locator checked 2026-09-21)
- Fact checked on
- 2026-09-21
Physical properties
Apatite — density: 3.13–3.23 g/cm³
GB/T 16553—2017
- Does this standard apply
- applies to this entry
- Qualification
The clause we cite gives 3.18, with a stated tolerance of ±0.05. The range shown here is worked out from that.
Source & check 2026-09-21
- Source
- GB/T 16553—2017 Gems — Testing (GB/T): §5.1.24 (locator checked 2026-09-21)
- Fact checked on
- 2026-09-21
Optical
Apatite — optic character: anisotropic; uniaxial with a negative optic sign.
GB/T 16553—2017
- Does this standard apply
- applies to this entry
Source & check 2026-09-21
- Source
- GB/T 16553—2017 Gems — Testing (GB/T): §5.1.24 (locator checked 2026-09-21)
- Fact checked on
- 2026-09-21
Apatite — refractive index: 1.628–1.65
GB/T 16553—2017
- Does this standard apply
- applies to this entry
- Qualification
The clause we cite gives 1.634–1.638, with a stated tolerance of +0.012 / -0.006. The range shown here is worked out from that.
Source & check 2026-09-21
- Source
- GB/T 16553—2017 Gems — Testing (GB/T): §5.1.24 (locator checked 2026-09-21)
- Fact checked on
- 2026-09-21
Apatite — birefringence: 0.002–0.008
GB/T 16553—2017
- Does this standard apply
- applies to this entry
- General note
- the clause has finer ranges
Source & check 2026-09-21
- Source
- GB/T 16553—2017 Gems — Testing (GB/T): §5.1.24 (locator checked 2026-09-21)
- Fact checked on
- 2026-09-21
Apatite — transparency: transparent to translucent.
CIBJO Gemmological Laboratories Book 2024
Source & check 2026-09-22
- Source
- Fact checked on
- 2026-09-22
Apatite — pleochroism: strong in blue stones (blue, yellow to colorless); in stones of other colors only extremely weak to weak.
GB/T 16553—2017
- Treatment state
- untreated
- Does this standard apply
- applies to this entry
Source & check 2026-09-21
- Source
- GB/T 16553—2017 Gems — Testing (GB/T): §5.1.24 (locator checked 2026-09-21)
- Fact checked on
- 2026-09-21
Apatite — fluorescence (overall): yellow: violet-pink-red; blue: blue to light blue; green: green-yellow; violet: long wave green-yellow; short wave light violet-red.
GB/T 16553—2017
UV fluorescenceviolet-pink-redyellowbluelight bluebluegreen-yellowgreengreen-yellowvioletlight violet-redvioletDots are illustrative colours built from the colour names, not measured values
- Treatment state
- untreated
- Does this standard apply
- applies to this entry
Source & check 2026-09-21
- Source
- GB/T 16553—2017 Gems — Testing (GB/T): §5.1.24 (locator checked 2026-09-21)
- Fact checked on
- 2026-09-21
Apatite — spectrum (UV-visible): gemstones showing chatoyancy: 580 nm double absorption peak.
GB/T 16553—2017
- Does this standard apply
- applies to this entry
Source & check 2026-09-21
- Source
- GB/T 16553—2017 Gems — Testing (GB/T): §5.1.24 (locator checked 2026-09-21)
- Fact checked on
- 2026-09-21
Apatite — spectrum (infrared): Mid-IR absorption follows the pattern typical of apatite
GB/T 16553—2017
- Does this standard apply
- applies to this entry
Source & check 2026-09-21
- Source
- GB/T 16553—2017 Gems — Testing (GB/T): §5.1.24 (locator checked 2026-09-21)
- Fact checked on
- 2026-09-21
Apatite — optical effect (chatoyancy): seen
GB/T 16553—2017
- Does this standard apply
- applies to this entry
Source & check 2026-09-21
- Source
- GB/T 16553—2017 Gems — Testing (GB/T): §5.1.24 (locator checked 2026-09-21)
- Fact checked on
- 2026-09-21
Apatite — magnification: gas-liquid inclusions, mineral inclusions, growth striations
GB/T 16553—2017
- Treatment state
- untreated
- Does this standard apply
- applies to this entry
Source & check 2026-09-21
- Source
- GB/T 16553—2017 Gems — Testing (GB/T): §5.1.24 (locator checked 2026-09-21)
- Fact checked on
- 2026-09-21
body colour2 sources compared
Apatite — body colour: Yellow, green, violet, purple, blue, pink, brown, colourless.
CIBJO Gemmological Laboratories Book 2024
- Treatment state
- untreated
- Qualification
In chapter 7 of the CIBJO Gemmological Laboratories Book, the colour descriptions of Fluorite, Scapolite, Amblygonite and other entries also name yellow or a yellowish colour.
- General note
- colour alone is not identity
Source & check 2026-09-22
- Source
- Fact checked on
- 2026-09-22
Apatite — body colour: colorless, yellow, green, purple, purple-red, pink-red, brown, blue, etc.
GB/T 16553—2017
- Treatment state
- untreated
- Does this standard apply
- applies to this entry
- Qualification
In chapter 5 of GB/T 16553—2017, the colour entries of Spinel, Topaz, Taaffeite and other variety clauses also name colourless.
- General note
- colour alone is not identity
Source & check 2026-09-26
- Source
- GB/T 16553—2017 Gems — Testing (GB/T): §5.1.24 (locator checked 2026-09-26)
- Fact checked on
- 2026-09-26
How the sources relate
- CIBJO Gemmological Laboratories Book 2024 and GB/T 16553—2017
Both list colourless, yellow, green, purple, pink, brown and blue; GB/T 16553—2017 also lists purplish red.
- CIBJO definitions
- chatoyancy
Quality factors
Apatite — quality factor (lustre): vitreous
GB/T 16553—2017
- Treatment state
- untreated
- Does this standard apply
- applies to this entry
Source & check 2026-09-21
- Source
- GB/T 16553—2017 Gems — Testing (GB/T): §5.1.24 (locator checked 2026-09-21)
- Fact checked on
- 2026-09-21
Each row's “Source & check” expands to the full source; the date beside it is the fact check date.
This material (RI / SG midpoints): 1.639 / 3.18; Closest values: 1Lazulite 1.627 / 3.12, 2Sillimanite 1.668 / 3.21, 3Actinolite 1.627 / 3.03, 4Euclase 1.663 / 3.06, 5Danburite 1.633 / 3
Show the full chart (330 registered materials)
Outside the full chart's range, drawn as triangles at the edge (RI / SG midpoints): Hematite 3.045/5.12, Synthetic Rutile 2.76/4.26, Rutile 2.753/4.23, Synthetic Moissanite 2.67/3.22
Testing and market
For the identification of Apatite, the CIBJO Gemstone Book records that no synthetic counterpart of Apatite is commercially available; a note on testing methods in the CIBJO laboratory protocol states that the special optical effects of Apatite are the cat's-eye effect and the colour-change effect.
The tests the CIBJO laboratory protocol requires for this material, and what each method means, are in the protocol table on the laboratory testing page: §6.1.7.
How far testing can go
Apatite — synthetic counterpart on the market: No synthetic counterpart of this material is commercially available
CIBJO Gemstone Book 2022
- Treatment state
- any treatment state
Source & check 2026-09-22
- Source
- Fact checked on
- 2026-09-22
Apatite — notes on test methods in the CIBJO laboratory protocol:
| Test method | What the protocol notes for it |
|---|---|
| Phenomena: | Cat’s-eye, colour-change |
CIBJO Gemmological Laboratories Book 2024
- Treatment state
- any treatment state
Source & check 2026-09-26
- Source
- Fact checked on
- 2026-09-26
Each row's “Source & check” expands to the full source; the date beside it is the fact check date.
Clause-level definitions
Apatite has a direct definition in the CIBJO Gemmological Laboratories Book 2024 under the term Apatite: mineral group apatite, mineral species fluorapatite, IMA status Rn, noting that the CIBJO wording is quoted in full under Clause-level definitions on this page; the cross-check result is a direct CIBJO definition, also present in the GB/T annex.
This table scrolls sideways on narrow screens.
| Term | Clause | Definition | Cross-check |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apatite | 7.2.1.20 | Yellow, green, violet, purple, blue, pink, brown, colourless, transparent to translucent; may show chatoyancy | Defined directly by CIBJO; also present in the GB/T annex. |
Evidence and sources
Authority basis and clause sources
Sources
Further reading
Related entries and topic cluster
Parent entry and related pages on this site. Rows marked “Planned” are suggested new content and have no link yet.
This table scrolls sideways on narrow screens.
| Page | Content | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Browsing family | Phosphate minerals | Live |
| Related articles | To be added (placeholder) | Planned |
Who maintains this page
The material facts in the Apatite entry are maintained by the LumaLark wiki and matched one by one to the standard clauses or institutional sources they cite: every fact carries its source (with a clause or page locator) and a check date, so it can be traced back to the original; clause-level definitions also carry a cross-check result. The entry exists so that buyers and sellers can check naming, disclosure and material facts item by item.