Synchrotron X-ray absorption spectroscopy and X-ray powder diffraction studies of the structure of johnbaumite [Ca10(AsO4)6(OH,F)2] and synthetic Pb-, Sr- and Ba-arsenate apatites and some comments on the crystal chemistry of the apatite structure type in general.

The chemical composition oft he natural arsenate-apatite mineral johnbaumite [nominally Ca10(AsO4)6(OH)2] and its alteration product hedyphane [Ca4Pb6(AsO4)6Cl2] have been determined by electron microprobe analysis and the structures ofjohnbaumite and synthetic Sr-, Ba- and Pbarsenate apatites have been studied by As K-edge X-ray absorption spectroscopy and synchrotron X-ray powder diffraction. All samples belong to the holosymmetric apatite space group P63/m with As5+ substituted for P5+ in the tetrahedral structural site. Johnbaumite contains small amounts ofF and Pb (~0.9 and ~4.4 wt.% respectively) and hedyphane has the ideal composition (formula given above); the compositions ofthese coexisting phases define the two limbs ofa solvus occurring between Ca- and Pb-arsenate apatite end members. The unit-cell parameters and cation–oxygen bond lengths for the arsenate apatites studied are discussed alongside published data for end-member Ca-, Sr-, Ba- and Pbphosphate apatite analogues with (OH), F, Cl or Br as the anions at the centres ofthe channels in the apatite structure. This discussion rationalizes the relationships between the two structural sites A(1) and A(2) occupied by divalent cations in terms ofthe size ofthe A�O polyhedra and the distortion ofthe A(1)�O polyhedron as measured by the metaprism twist angle [O(1)�A(1)�O(2) projected onto (001)].