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DOCUMENTATION_FORMAT: MINERAL
SAMPLE_ID: WS416
MINERAL_TYPE: Phosphate
MINERAL: Apatite-(CaF) [Fluorapatite]
FORMULA: Ca5(PO4)3F
FORMULA_HTML: Ca5(PO4)3F
COLLECTION_LOCALITY: Cerro de Mercado, Durango, Mexico
ORIGINAL_DONOR: Wards Scientific
CURRENT_SAMPLE_LOCATION: USGS Denver Spectroscopy Laboratory
ULTIMATE_SAMPLE_LOCATION: USGS Denver Spectroscopy Laboratory
SAMPLE_DESCRIPTION: Individual light yellow brown hexagonal crystals.
END_SAMPLE_DESCRIPTION.
XRD_ANALYSIS:
A single crystal chip was x-rayed as unambiguous fluorapatite. (R. Driscoll)
END_XRD_ANALYSIS.
COMPOSITIONAL_ANALYSIS_TYPE: None # XRF, EPMA, ICP(Trace), WChem
COMPOSITION_TRACE:
COMPOSITION_DISCUSSION:
END_COMPOSITION_DISCUSSION.
MICROSCOPIC_EXAMINATION:
END_MICROSCOPIC_EXAMINATION.
SPECTROSCOPIC_DISCUSSION:
Sample has a number of sharp spectral absorptions (f-f orbital electronic transitions) throughout the 0.35 to 1.3 micron range presumably due to variable proportions of lanthanide series rare earth elements (i.e., Nd, Sm, and others). Bands at 0.578, 0.748, 0.802, and 0.868 microns resemble similar absorptions in neodymium oxide. A peak at 1.06 microns resembles a fluorescence feature but is at a relatively long wavelength.
The UV to NIR spectrum of this sample designated by "xtl" is of a crystal causing distinctly more intense absorption compared to spectra of its powder including a possible fluoresence peak at 1.06 microns. G. Swayze
END_SPECTROSCOPIC_DISCUSSION.
SPECTRAL_PURITY: 1a2a3a4_ # 1= 0.2-3, 2= 1.5-6, 3= 6-25, 4= 20-150 microns