The abstract and early-bird registration deadline has now been extended to April 19. Dear Colleagues, We would like to draw your attention to the session on “Apatite – an accessory mineral with a big footprint in geochemical, environmental, and biological processes” to be held at the 4th European Mineralogical Conference at Trinity College Dublin, 18-23 August 2024 (https://emc-2024.org/ <https://emc-2024.org/>). The abstract submission deadline (22nd March 2024) is fast approaching! Apatite – an accessory mineral with a big footprint in geochemical, environmental, and biological processes Due to its robust crystal structure allowing for many cationic and anionic substitutions, the apatite supergroup is one of the largest mineral families known. One of its most prominent members, fluorapatite, is a major sink for P, F, and REE in the Earth’s crust and the upper mantle since it occurs as an accessory mineral in almost all rock types. As a host for many isotopes commonly used in radiometric techniques, it plays a significant role in petrochronology. Although normally an accessory mineral, apatite can also be a rock-forming mineral in sedimentary phosphorites and igneous ore deposits of economic importance such as iron oxide-apatite deposits and carbonatites. While it is also the main component of teeth, bones, and certain invertebrate exoskeletons, synthetic apatite and its derivatives have applications in a variety of fields including the pharmaceutical industry and tissue engineering. Moreover, apatite is the foundation of the global phosphorous cycle as well as an essential source for fertilizer and an important agent in environmental remediation. Here we invite all contributions devoted to minerals of the apatite supergroup, both from nature and experiment, including applications in geological and biological systems as well as in agriculture and industry. Conveners: - David Chew (Trinity College Dublin, Ireland) - Daniel Harlov (GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences) - Alicja Wudarska (Institute of Geological Sciences of the Polish Academy of Sciences and GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences) - Bartosz Puzio (AGH University of Krakow, Poland) Daniel Harlov Section 3.6 Chemistry and Physics of Earth Materials Helmholtz-Zentrum Potsdam Deutsches GeoForschungsZentrum - GFZ Stiftung des öff. Rechts Land Brandenburg Telegrafenberg D-14473 Potsdam FR Germany international tel +49 (331) 6264-1456 international fax +49 (331) 6264-1402 email: dharlov@gfz-potsdam.de <mailto:dharlov@gfz-potsdam.de> http://www.gfz-potsdam.de/en/staff/daniel-harlov/ <http://www.gfz-potsdam.de/en/staff/daniel-harlov/> http://www.springer.com/in/book/9783642283932 https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-3-319-61667-4 "If you cannot write well, you cannot think well; and if you cannot think well, others will think for you." George Orwell “ Math, Science, History, unravelling the Mystery, that all started with the Big Bang! “ opening credits to the Big Bang Theory sitcom.