Odontolite

Odontolite
Odontolite
General
Category	Phosphate minerals
Formula	Ca5(PO4)3[F, OH, Cl]; Fe2+; 3(PO; 4); 2·8H; 2O
Strunz classification	8.DD.15
Crystal system	Triclinic
Crystal class	Pinacoidal (1) ; (same H–M symbol)
Identification
Colour	Turquoise, blue, blue-green, green
Crystal habit	Massive, nodular
Cleavage	Perfect on {001}, good on {010}, but cleavage rarely seen
Fracture	Conchoidal
Mohs scale hardness	5
Luster	Waxy to subvitreous
Streak	Bluish white
Diaphaneity	Opaque
Specific gravity	3–3,2
Optical properties	Biaxial (+)
Refractive index	nα = 1.610; nβ = 1.615; nγ = 1.650
Birefringence	+0.040
Pleochroism	Weak
Fusibility	Fusible in heated HCl
Solubility	Soluble in HCl
References

Last updated April 11, 2025

Odontolite, also called bone turquoise or fossil turquoise or occidental turquoise, is fossil bone or ivory that has been traditionally thought to have been altered by turquoise or similar phosphate minerals such as vivianite.

References

"Occidental Turquoise".

↑ Hurlbut, Cornelius S.; Klein, Cornelis (1985). Manual of Mineralogy (20th ed.). New York: John Wiley & Sons. ISBN 978-0-471-80580-9.
↑ "Turquoise". Mindat.org . Retrieved 2006-10-04.. "Turquoise: Turquoise mineral information and data". Archived from the original on 2006-11-12. Retrieved 2006-10-04.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link).
↑ Anthony, John W.; Bideaux, Richard A.; Bladh, Kenneth W.; Nichols, Monte C., eds. (2000). "Turquoise" (PDF). Handbook of Mineralogy. Vol. IV. Chantilly, Virginia: Mineralogical Society of America. ISBN 978-0-9622097-3-4. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2012-02-11.

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[Hurlbut-1] Hurlbut, Cornelius S.; Klein, Cornelis (1985). Manual of Mineralogy (20th ed.). New York: John Wiley & Sons. ISBN 978-0-471-80580-9.

[mindat-2] "Turquoise". Mindat.org . Retrieved 2006-10-04.. "Turquoise: Turquoise mineral information and data". Archived from the original on 2006-11-12. Retrieved 2006-10-04.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link).

[rruff-3] Anthony, John W.; Bideaux, Richard A.; Bladh, Kenneth W.; Nichols, Monte C., eds. (2000). "Turquoise" (PDF). Handbook of Mineralogy. Vol. IV. Chantilly, Virginia: Mineralogical Society of America. ISBN 978-0-9622097-3-4. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2012-02-11.

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