Apatite from Cerro de Mercado, Mexico – Yellow-Green Single Crystal

This Apatite crystal from Cerro de Mercado near Durango, Mexico shows the characteristic yellow-green to yellowish color known from the locality, together with a clearly developed prismatic crystal form. With a length of 2.2 cm, it is a free-standing single crystal without any larger matrix.

The crystal measures 2.2 × 1.2 × 1 cm. Despite its small size, the characteristic morphology of the mineral is clearly visible, making the specimen an interesting example from one of Mexico’s classic Apatite localities.

Yellow-green Apatite with distinct crystal form

The crystal shows a yellow-green to yellowish color with individual reddish-brown inclusions or attachments. Some crystal faces show a noticeable luster.

The crystal habit is hexagonal-prismatic with a clearly recognizable pyramidal termination. The geometric crystal shape is particularly well visible in the frontal view.

A small amount of natural contact or matrix material is present at the lower part of the crystal, while most of the crystal is freely preserved.

Apatite from the classic locality Cerro de Mercado

Cerro de Mercado near Durango is one of the classic Mexican localities for yellow to yellow-green Apatite crystals. Material from the locality is especially known for its characteristic color and often well-developed prismatic crystal forms.

Mineralogically, Apatite from Cerro de Mercado is frequently Fluorapatite. However, since this particular specimen has not been analytically identified, it is deliberately offered simply as Apatite.

The single crystal therefore combines a typical appearance with a historically important locality and is well suited as a small, characteristic reference specimen.