Apatite Crystallography

Composition

Ca2Ca3[PO4]3(OH,F,Cl)

Classification

Phosphate Group

Structural Parameters

a=9.360, b=9.360, c=6.860 Å
alpha=90, beta=90, gamma=120°
Space Group: P6_3/m

atom

x/a

y/b

z/c
Ca 0.6667 0.3333 0.0016
Ca -0.0070 0.2416 0.2500
P 0.3694 0.3984 0.2500
O 0.4859 0.3273 0.2500
O 0.4666 0.5882 0.2500
O 0.2575 0.3414 0.0707
OH,Cl,F 0.0000 0.0000 0.2500

Reference

Hughes, J.M., M. Cameron, and K.D. Crowley. 1991. Ordering of divalent cations in the apatite structure: Crystal structure refinements of natural Mn- and Sr-bearing apatite. American Mineralogist 76:1857-1862.


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Original release: 1 Oct 1998;