Formula: Cu2+9Si10O29.11H2O
Unclassified silicate
Crystal System: Monoclinic
Specific gravity: 2.80 measured, 3.26 calculated
Hardness: 2
Colour: Blue
Common impurities: Mg,Ca
Environments:
Metamorphic environments
Hydrothermal environments
Apachite is a retrograde metamorphic or mixed
hypogene and supergene mineral formed at the expense
of a prograde (increasing metamorphic grade) calc-silicate and sulphide assemblage in metamorphosed carbonate rocks.
At the type locality,
the Christmas mine, Gila County, USA, it is typically found in fractured zones cutting
garnet-diopside rock, replacing both these silcates and
calcite. Associated minerals are kinoite,
gilalite, stringhamite,
junitoite, clinohedrite,
xonotlite,
calcite and
tobermorite
(HOM/AM65.1065).
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