![]() ![]() Specifically, this aluminum silicate mineral seems to form with low pressures and moderate (geologically speaking) temperatures. It can also be found in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada Mountain Range.Īndalusite is a strange, aluminum neosilicate mineral that’s closely related to kyanite and sillimanite. In Central California, the place most associated with apatite is Jackson Butte, southwest of Sacramento. It’s also sometimes used as an ore for radioactive elements or rare-earth metals, which the mineral traps in some locations. It’s one of the most important sources of phosphate for the industry. Some apatite even has a cat’s eye effect, derived from included rutile.īecause it’s so high in phosphate chemicals, however, apatite is most commonly ground up for use in fertilizer. Massive forms are generally seen as spheres, towers, and even tumbles while singular crystalline forms are sometimes cut as gems. While apatite is fairly soft, running at a 5.0 on the Moh’s scale, it’s sometimes cut for decorative use. It’s used in many different parts of geological analysis, but for collectors, it’s usually the more massive forms that are sought out. These phosphate minerals are actually quite common, but it’s less common to actually see them since they’re generally only found as microscopic grains in other rocks. The name itself actually refers to a trio of different minerals: fluorapatite, hydroxyapatite, and chlorapatite. ApatiteĪpatite is a soft rock, most closely associated with the color blue. It can also be found, in lesser amounts, in the Bay Area if you care to head to the coast. Serpentines in Central California can be found in hundreds of different locations in the Central Valley. While asbestos is currently known mainly for causing mesothelioma and other respiratory agents, it was of economic importance in the past when it was used as a common fire barrier. Chrysotile is the reason that serpentine has been named the State Rock of California, it’s one of the major components of asbestos. One of the major constituents of serpentine is actually chrysotile. The minerals that make it up are largely locked together, with individual crystals being invisible to the naked eye due to their small size. Instead, it’s generally found in a massive, microcrystalline form. A polymorph is a mineral that has the same chemical makeup as another one, but has formed into a different crystalline habit.ĭespite the oddities of the differing crystal forms, serpentine is never found as single crystals. Or rather, a series of minerals, since the serpentine group is comprised of several different polymorphs. Despite the similar coloration in many cases, it turns out that serpentine is a fascinating mineral in its own right. ![]() Serpentine is a green stone, often mistaken for jade.
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