Phosphate mineral
Phosphate minerals contain the tetrahedrally coordinated phosphate (PO43−) anion, sometimes with arsenate (AsO43−) and vanadate (VO43−) substitutions, along with chloride (Cl−), fluoride (F−), and hydroxide (OH−) anions, that also fit into the crystal structure. The phosphate class of minerals is a large and diverse group, however, only a few species are relatively common. Applications Phosphate rock has high concentration of phosphate minerals, most commonly from the apatite group of minerals. It is the major resource mined to produce phosphate fertilizers for the agricultural industry. Phosphate is also used in animal feed supplements, food preservatives, anti-corrosion agents, cosmetics, fungicides, ceramics, water treatment and metallurgy. The production of fertilizer is the largest source responsible for minerals mined for their phosphate content. Phosphate minerals are often used to control rust, and to prevent corrosion on ferrous materials applied with electrochemical conversion coatings. Examples Phosphate minerals include: Triphylite Li(Fe,Mn)PO4 Monazite (La, Y, Nd, Sm, Gd, Ce,Th)PO4, rare earth metals Hinsdalite PbAl3(PO4)(SO4)(OH)6 Pyromorphite Pb5(PO4)3Cl Erythrite Co3(AsO4)2·8H2O Amblygonite LiAlPO4F Lazulite (Mg,Fe)Al2(PO4)2(OH)2 Wavellite Al3(PO4)2(OH)3·5H2O Turquoise CuAl6(PO4)4(OH)8·5H2O Autunite Ca(UO2)2(PO4)2·10-12H2O Phosphophyllite Zn2(Fe,Mn)(PO4)2•4H2O Struvite (NH4)MgPO4·6H2O Xenotime-Y Y(PO4) Apatite group Ca5(PO4)3(F,Cl,OH) Hydroxylapatite Ca5(PO4)3OH Fluorapatite Ca5(PO4)3F Chlorapatite Ca5(PO4)3Cl Bromapatite Mitridatite group: Arseniosiderite-mitridatite series (Ca2(Fe3+)3[(O)2|(AsO4)3]·3H2O -- Ca2(Fe3+)3[(O)2|(PO4)3]·3H2O) Arseniosiderite-robertsite series (Ca2(Fe3+)3[(O)2|(AsO4)3]·3H2O -- Ca3(Mn3+)4[(OH)3|(PO4)2]2·3H2O) Nickel–Strunz