The facts
What whitlockite actually is
Whitlockite is classified as calcium phosphate, with the composition Ca₉(Mg,Fe²⁺)(PO₄)₆(PO₃OH). It crystallises in the trigonal system.
Colour comes from colourless to pale yellow-grey; no gem chromophore, which is also what a laboratory looks at when it is asked whether a colour is natural.
Refractive index 1.620–1.629. Specific gravity around 3.12. Cleavage: none observed. Those three numbers separate it from most of what imitates it.
Where whitlockite comes from
Whitlockite is produced at Palermo No. 1 Mine, Groton, New Hampshire, USA and Tip Top Mine, Custer County, South Dakota, USA.
The locality is part of the description, not a footnote — two stones of the same weight from two of these places are not the same stone.
How whitlockite is treated
Untreated. Notable as a phosphate also found in lunar samples and meteorites, which gives it collector interest beyond its modest appearance.
Treatment changes value, sometimes by a multiple, so it belongs in the description before the price and not after the sale.
What whitlockite is confused with
In the trade whitlockite is most often mistaken for, or substituted by, Apatite, Brushite or Calcite.
The separation is rarely a matter of opinion: refractive index 1.620–1.629 and specific gravity 3.12 settle most of it in a minute, and magnification settles the rest.
What whitlockite is used for
Demand for whitlockite comes from mineral collecting, which is why one price per carat never covers it.
We quote each application in the unit that trade actually buys in, by the specimen.
Durability and care
Hardness 5; cleavage none observed. That combination decides what it can safely be set into.
Below about 5.5 a stone will be scratched by ordinary household dust, which is largely quartz. That does not make it unusable — it makes it a pendant, an earring or an object rather than a ring worn every day.
Warm water, mild soap and a soft brush. Avoid ultrasonic cleaners on anything fracture-filled, stabilised, dyed or visibly included.
What whitlockite costs
As a guide, whitlockite trades around Specimens 20–150 USD.
That is a range, not a quote. Colour, size, clarity, cut and origin move the figure a long way inside it, and the only honest price is one given against a specific stone. Send us what you need and we will price it.
Questions
Is whitlockite treated, and how?
Untreated. Notable as a phosphate also found in lunar samples and meteorites, which gives it collector interest beyond its modest appearance.
Where does whitlockite come from?
Palermo No. 1 Mine, Groton, New Hampshire, USA and Tip Top Mine, Custer County, South Dakota, USA. Origin affects price, so we name the locality rather than the country on every quote.
Is whitlockite hard enough to wear every day?
Not really. At 5 on the Mohs scale it is softer than the quartz dust in ordinary household dirt, so it scratches with wear. It suits pendants, earrings and objects better than a daily ring.
How much does whitlockite cost?
Indicatively Specimens 20–150 USD. Colour, size, clarity and origin move the price a long way within that, so treat it as a range and ask for a quote against a specific stone.
What is whitlockite confused with?
Most often Apatite, Brushite and Calcite. A refractive index of 1.620–1.629 and a specific gravity near 3.12 separate it quickly.
Related stones
Looking for whitlockite?
Tell us the size, the quality and what it is for. We source it, photograph it and quote it — with the locality named.
Ask about whitlockite