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Fluorite

 

Fluorite

 

Discovered in 1529; IMA status: Valid (pre-IMA; Grandfathered)

 

Chemistry

 

 

Chemical Formula:

CaF2 

 

Calcium Fluoride

Molecular Weight:

614.71 gm

Composition:

Calcium

51.33 %

Ca

71.83 %

CaO

 

Fluorine

48.67 %

F

48.67 %

F

 

―

― %

O

-20.49 %

-O=F2

 

 

100.00 %

 

100.00 %

= TOTAL OXIDE

 

 

Classification

   

   

Mineral Classification:

Halides

Strunz 8th Ed. ID:

3/A.08-10

Nickel-Strunz 10th Ed. ID:

3.AB.25

 

3 : HALIDES
A : Simple halides, without H2O
B : M:X = 1:2

Related to:

Fluorite Series and related compounds

 

 

Crystal Data

   

   

Crystallography:

Isometric - Hexoctahedral

Crystal Habit:

Cubes, octahedra, rarely dodecahedra, or combinations, with many other forms; rounded or stepped, to 2 m; nodular, botryoidal, rarely columnar or fibrous; granular, massive.

Twinning:

Common on [111], interpenetrant, flattened, also as contact twins.

 

 

Physical Properties

   

 

Cleavage:

[111] Perfect, [111] Perfect, [111] Perfect

Fracture:

Sub-Conchoidal to Uneven

Tenacity:

Brittle

Moh's Hardness:

4.0

Hardness (Vickers):

VHN100=174 - 181 kg/mm2

Density:

3.175 - 3.184 (g/cm3) (3.56 if high in rare-earth elements)

Luminescence:

Fluoresces blue under LW UV. May also fluoresce red, pink or white depending on origin of specimens. May also be phosphorescent, thermoluminescent or Triboluminescent.

Radioactivity:

Not Radioactive

Other:

Slightly soluble in water (0.016 grams per liter at 18°)

 

 

Optical Properties

   

   

Color:

Colorless, White, Purple, Blue, Green, Yellow, Orange, Red, Pink, Brown, Bluish Black; commonly zoned

Transparency:

Transparent to Translucent

Luster:

Vitreous, Dull

Refractive Index:

1.432 - 1.448  Isotropic

Birefringence:

0.000 (Isotropic) (Frequently exhibits very weak anomalous birefringence, especially in cleaved, cut or pressed crystals)

Dispersion:

0.007 (very, very low)

Pleochroism:

None

 

 

Occurances

   

   

Geological Setting:

An accessory mineral in granite, granite pegmatites, syenites; around fumaroles; in carbonatites and alkaline intrusives. Economic deposits in low- to high-temperature hydrothermal veins and stratabound deposits; a cement in sandstones.

Common Associations:

Apatite, Barite, Calcite, Cassiterite, Celestine, Dolomite, Quartz, Scheelite, Sulfides, Topaz, Wolframite

Common Impurities:

Y, Ce, Si, Al, Fe, Mg, Eu, Sm, O, ORG, Cl, TR

Co-type Localities:

Jáchymov (St Joachimsthal), Ostrov, Krušné Hory Mountains, Karlovy Vary Region, Bohemia, Czech Republic; and
Breitenbrunn, Breitenbrunn District, Erzgebirge, Saxony, Germany

Year Discovered:

1529

View mineral photos:

Fluorite Mineral Photos and Locations

 

 

Unusual Gem Categories

   

   

 

Fluorescent Gems,  Phosphorescent Gems, Thermoluminescent Gems, Triboluminescent Gems

 

 

More Information

   

   

 

Mindat.org
Webmineral.com

 

 

Fluorite is often called the "most colorful mineral in the world." The most common examples of Fluorite are the banded, multi-color gems with various shades of yellows, greens, blues, purples and browns. Fluorite is also available in fine, gem quality solid colors. The most popular of these is deep purple that can rival the best Amethyst colors. Other colors include neon green, blue and a beautiful and very rare near-colorless gem. Color change Fluorite is also available in gems that change from blue to purple-pink or from shades of green to red. Fluorite is too brittle to wear in jewelry because of its easy, perfect octohedral cleavage in four directions.

Fluorite fluoresces blue under longwave UV light. It may also fluoresce red, pink or white depending on the origin of the specimens. Fluorite may also be phosphorescent, thermoluminescent or Triboluminescent.

Fluorite was named in 1797 by Italian mineralogist Carlo Antonio Galeani Napione (1756-1814) from the Latin word fluere, meaning to flow, because it melts easily and is used as a flux in smelting. Napione was the author of the first Italian treatise on Mineralogy, the Mineralogy Elements printed in Turin in 1797. The word fluorescence is derived from the name Fluorite, which often exhibits this phenomenon. The element fluorine also derives its name from Fluorite, a major source of the element.

There are many sources of Fluorite crystals in the US and worldwide.

Fluorite gems for sale:

Fluorite-001

Gem:

Fluorite

Stock #:

FLUOR-001

Weight:

30.6840 ct

Size:

18.10 x 17.79 x 14.50 mm

Shape:

Custom Hexagon

Color:

Seafoam Green

Clarity:

Eye Clean - VSI

Origin:

William Wise Mine, Westmoreland, New Hampshire, USA

Treatment:

None (natural)

Price:

$400.00    [ Make an offer ]

Pictures are of the actual gem offered for sale.
Gem images are magnified to show detail.

Fluorite-001

A beautiful and rare gem from a classic US Fluorite specimen location; William Wise Mine, Westmoreland, Cheshire County, New Hampshire, USA. This gem has a unique bluish green color that is unique to the location. This gem is very large and was precision faceted in the US in a custom hexagon design.

 

Fluorite-002

Gem:

Fluorite

Stock #:

FLUOR-002

Weight:

58.2675 ct

Size:

25.82 x 22.10 x 17.86 mm

Shape:

Cut-corner Triangle

Color:

Light Bronze

Clarity:

Eye Clean - VSI

Origin:

Mozambique

Treatment:

None (natural)

Price:

$350.00    [ Make an offer ]

Pictures are of the actual gem offered for sale.
Gem images are magnified to show detail.

Fluorite-002

There is a very interesting story behind this beautiful and unique gem. It is said that it came from a small parcel of Fluorite crystals that was found by a prospector somewhere in central Mozambique. The prospector did not disclose the location of his find and no other crystals with such a unique, light bronze color where ever found. This gem is very large and was precision faceted in the US in a custom triangle design.

 

Fluorite-004

Gem:

Fluorite

Stock #:

FLUOR-004

Weight:

7.5330 ct

Size:

14.54 x 9.97 x 7.52 mm

Shape:

Oval

Color:

Bright Yellowish Green

Clarity:

Eye Clean

Origin:

Rogers Mine, Ontario, Canada

Treatment:

None (natural)

Price:

$120.00

Pictures are of the actual gem offered for sale.
Gem images are magnified to show detail.

Fluorite-004

A bright and beautiful gem from Rogers Fluorspar Mine ("Madoc"), Moira Lake area, Huntingdon Township, Hastings County, Ontario, Canada.

 

Fluorite-003

Gem:

Fluorite

Stock #:

FLUOR-003

Weight:

4.6355 ct

Size:

11.27 x 11.19 x 7.85 mm

Shape:

Fancy Trillion

Color:

Emerald Green

Clarity:

Eye Clean

Origin:

Rogerley Mine, Weardale, UK

Treatment:

None (natural)

Price:

SOLD

Pictures are of the actual gem offered for sale.
Gem images are magnified to show detail.

Fluorite-003

A beautiful and rare gem from the Rogerley Mine, Frosterley, Weardale, North Pennines, County Durham, England, UK. This gem is very well cut and has an intense, emerald green color.

Fluorite at the Rogerley Mine was first discovered by collectors Lindsay Greenbank and Mike Sutcliffe in an abandoned 19th century limestone quarry in the early 1970's. The Rogerley Mine is the only mine in the UK operated on a commercial basis solely for specimen recovery. Operation of the mine was taken over by UK Mining Ventures in 1999.

 

 

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