Fluorite mineral specimens, information and links to flourite products

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Chemistry: CaF2
Composition: Calcium Fluoride
Class: Halides
Crystal system: isometric
Crystal habit: commonly as
cubic crystals, hexoctahedrons
and tetrahexahedrons are
characteristic. Also massive.
Fracture: conchoidal
Hardness: 4
Specific gravity: 3.18
Refractive Index: 1.433-1.435
Luster: vitreous
Transparency: transparent to translucent

THE PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF FLUORITE:

Color: The mineral fluorite comes in all colors. Deep purple,(it's most famous)amethyst, sky blue, sea green, sunny yellow, and crystal clear. There are rarer colors of pink, reddish orange (rose) and even black. Fluorite is very attractive and in demand. It is easy to see why fluorite earns the reputation as "The Most Colorful Mineral in the World".

Most specimens of fluorite have a single color. But allot of fluorite's have multiple colors and the colors are arranged in bands or zones. That follow the lines of the crystals. The effect is similar to a phantom Quartz crystal. Where there appears to be a crystal within a crystal. Except in Fluorite they are of different colors. A fluorite crystal could have a clear outer zone allowing a cube of purple fluorite to be seen inside, or a single crystal of fluorite could have several different color zones.

Many types of fluorite even glow under ultraviolet light. They're "fluorescent." (Note: the term fluorescence was derived from the mineral name Fluorite) Typically it fluoresces blue but other fluorescent colors include yellow, green, red, white and purple. Some will even demonstrate phosphorescence.

The blue fluorescence has been attributed to the presence of europium ions (Eu +2). Yttrium is the activator for the yellow fluorescence. Green and red fluorescent activation is not exactly pinned down as of yet, but may be due to the elements already mentioned as well as other rare earth metals; also manganese, uranium or a combination of these. Even unbounded fluorine trapped in the structure has been suggested.

Another unique luminescent property of fluorite is its thermol uminescence. Thermo Luminescence is the ability to glow when heated. Not all fluorite's do this, in fact it is quite a rare phenomenon. A variety of fluorite known as "chlorophane" can demonstrate this property very well and will even thermo luminesce while the specimen is held in a person's hand activated by the person's own body heat (of course in a dark room, as it is not bright enough to be seen in daylight). The thermo luminesce is green to blue-green and can be produced on the coils of a heater or electric stove top. Once seen, the glow will fade away and can no longer by seen in the same specimen again. It is a one shot deal.

OCCURRENCE AND CRYSTAL STRUCTURE:

Occurrence: typically in vein deposits. In hydrothermal veins it can be the only mineral present, although it more commonly occurs as an accessory mineral sometimes with quartz, calcite, dolomite, barite, galena, sphalerite and other lead, silver or uranium minerals. Also as an accessory mineral in some pegmatites and in pneumatolitic veins & griesens with accessories topaz, apatite, zinnwaldite, lepidolite, tourmaline and cassiterite.

Some notable locations are Cumberland, England; Amelia Court House, Virginia; Franklin, New Jersey; Bluebird Mine, Arizona;Gilgit, Pakistan; Mont Saint-Hilaire, Quebec; Nerchinsk, Russia;Spain; China; Brazil; Morocco; Bancroft, Ontario, Canada; Naica, Chihuahua, Mexico; Germany; Elmwood, Tennessee; Rosiclare, Illinois; Fort Wayne, Indiana; Pugh Quarry and Wood County, Ohio; Nancy Hanks Mine, Colorado and many other USA localities as well as many other localities from around the world.

Crystal habits:The cube is the most recognized habit of fluorite. Followed by the octahedron which is believed to form at higher temperatures than the cube. Although the cleavage of fluorite can produce an octahedral shape and these cleaved octahedrons are popular in rock shops the world over. Natural octahedrons are hard to find.

Rarer varieties are the twelve sided dodecahedron which is never seen by itself and usually modifies the cubic crystals by replacing the edges of the cube with one flat face of a dodecahedron. The tetrahexahedron is a twenty four sided habit that is also seen modifying the cubic habit. Occasionally combinations of a cube, dodecahedron and tetrahexahedron are seen producing an overall cubic crystal with no less that three minor parallel faces replacing each cubic edge. A fifth form is the hexoctahedron which modifies the cube by placing six very minor faces at each corner of the cube. Twinning is also common in fluorite and symmetrical penetration twins, especially from Cumberland England are much sought after by collectors.

Fluorite is very attractive on it's own. But is often associated with other attractive minerals. Such as galena, pyrite, chalcopyrite (marcasite), golden barite, sphalerite, calcite, crystal quartz and even amethyst.

History: The name Fluorite is from the Latin "fluere," which means "to flow," because it
melts easily. . Since Roman times, a massive crystalline variety of fluorite known as Blue John or Derbyshire spar has been used for making vases and other ornamental objects. It typically had a banded pattern of blue, violet and purple. This material was mined in the district of Derbyshire, England which reportedly has now been mined out. It was originally referred to as fluorospar by miners and is still called that today.

Uses: of fluorite include limited use in jewelry. Ornamental carvings such as spheres, dishes, vases, animals and ect. It is sometimes misleadingly called Green Quartz. Fluorite is one of
the most beautiful and interesting minerals available and very popular among mineral collectors.

It is used as a flux in the smelting of metallic ores such as steel, or in the manufacture of certain glasses, enamels and porcelains. Clear and colorless fluorite is sometimes used in optical equipment, but as this quality is rare in nature it is usually produced synthetically. Fluorite is also used as a source of fluorine for hydrofluoric acid and fluorinated water. The element fluorine also gets its name from fluorite. It is also a handy item in your gem collection. It's rating of 4 is good for, determining hardness of other stones in the field.