Apatite for a road trip!
Road Trip! (You thought I'd forgotten!) The most recognizable apatite comes from Madagascar. It would be fun to travel there, but if you're like me and on a budget, just rent the movie and laugh at the penguins.
Other apatite-rich deposits are in Mexico, Brazil, and the United States. Maine brings us some beautiful purple apatite from Apatite Mountain, which consists of old quarries now managed by the City of Auburn. There is public access to poke around and try your hand at rock hounding. You may find some purple apatite, lepidolite, smoky quartz, and tourmaline. Please only use hand tools and make sure you prepare for a day of dirt, digging and no facilities.
For those of us in the Western U.S., a fun-filled trip to the Oceanview Mine in southern California is in order. For a fee, you can spend the day digging for a variety of gems, including apatite, quartz, and tourmaline. The mine is located near Pala in San Diego County. Since it's a working mine, it's open to the public only a few days per week. Bring water, sunscreen, lunch, and a good pair of gloves - the mine provides everything else. You get to keep what you find at no additional charge and can even take a 5-gallon bucket of screened gravel home with you if you like.
Jane Duke created this horseshoe link bracelet using Apatite chip beads and sterling silver wire.