A polished blue apatite sphere from the Anosy region of Madagascar, deep blue-green with the glassy sheen the polished material takes well. Apatite is the phosphate mineral that sets the standard for level 5 on the Mohs hardness scale, so it is quite literally the reference other minerals are measured against. The rounded cut carries the colour evenly across the surface.
Mineral: Blue apatite (fluorapatite, Ca₅(PO₄)₃(F,Cl,OH))
Crystal system: Hexagonal
Origin: Anosy region, Madagascar
Hardness: 5 on the Mohs scale; softer than quartz, handle with care
Treatment: None known. Natural blue-green colouring; not heat-enhanced as far as we can determine
Diameter: 5.84 cm
Weight: 325 g
Note: Acrylic stand included (not the stand shown in the photo)
You'll receive the exact piece photographed.