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Fluorite

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Rogerley Mine, Frosterley, Weardale, North Pennines, Co. Durham, England, UK
© Jesse Fisher, 2001

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Formula:
CaF
 
2
System:IsometricColour:Purple, lilac, ...
Lustre:Vitreous, DullHardness:4
Name:From the Latin, fluere = "to flow" (for its use as a flux). The term fluorescence is derived from fluorite, which will often markedly exhibit this effect. The element fluorine also derives its name from fluorite, a major source for the element.


Fluorite is found as a common gangue mineral in hydrothermal veins, especially those containing lead and zinc minerals. It is also found in some greisens, granites and high-temperature veins, and as a component of some marbles and other metamorphic rocks.

Classification of Fluorite

IMA status:Valid - first described prior to 1959 (pre-IMA) - "Grandfathered"
Strunz 8th edition ID:3/A.08-10
Nickel-Strunz 10th (pending) edition ID:3.AB.25

3 : HALIDES
A : Simple halides, without H2O
B : M:X = 1:2
Dana 7th edition ID:9.2.1.1
Dana 8th edition ID:9.2.1.1

9 : NORMAL HALIDES
2 : AX2
Hey's CIM Ref.:8.4.7

8 : Halides - Fluorides, Chlorides, Bromides and Iodides; also Fluoborates and Fluosilicates
4 : Halides of the alkaline earths and Mg
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Type Occurrence of Fluorite

Co-type Localities:Jáchymov (St Joachimsthal), Ostrov, Krušné Hory Mts (Erzgebirge), Karlovy Vary Region, Bohemia (Böhmen; Boehmen), Czech Republic
Breitenbrunn, Breitenbrunn District, Erzgebirge, Saxony, Germany
Year of Discovery:1529

Occurrences of Fluorite

Geological Setting:Hydrothermal veins; cavities in sedimentary rocks; as a cementing material in sandstones; as hot springs deposits.

Physical Properties of Fluorite

Lustre:Vitreous, Dull
Diaphaneity (Transparency):Transparent
Comment:Dull when massive
Colour:Purple, lilac, golden-yellow, green, colourless, blue, pink, champagne, brown.
Streak:White
Hardness (Mohs):4
Hardness Data:Mohs hardness reference species
Tenacity:Brittle
Cleavage:Perfect
Perfect on {111}, very easy.
Parting:Indistinct parting or cleavage on {011} at times.
Fracture:Splintery, Sub-Conchoidal
Density (measured):3.175 - 3.56 g/cm3
Density (calculated):3.181 g/cm3
Comment:Normal range 3.175-3.184, increasing density with rare earth substitution.

Crystallography of Fluorite

Crystal System:Isometric
Class (H-M):m3m (4/m 3 2/m) - Hexoctahedral
Space Group:Fm3m (F4/m 3 2/m)
Cell Parameters:a = 5.4626Å
Unit Cell Volume:V 163.00 ų (Calculated from Unit Cell)
Z:4
Morphology:Usually cubes, {001}; less often octahedrons, {111}; rarely dodecahedrons{011}. Also some hexoctahedrons and tetrahexahedrons. Combinations of these forms common, cube corners often modified. {001} usually smooth and lustrous, {111} rough and dull.Crystals distorted at times by unequal development of faces, as of {013}. Often markedly composite; minute cubes aggregated to form an octahedron at times, or as an overgrowth of crystals upon the corners of an earlier formed crystal of differing habit. Massive; compact; earthy, columnar (rare), or in glodular aggregates; botryoidal (rare).
Twinning:On {111}, usually as interpenetrating cubes, but also as contact twins (Naica Mexico and Chumar Bakhoor Pakistan).
Crystal Atlas:
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Fluorite no.1 - Goldschmidt (1913-1926)
Fluorite no.2 - Goldschmidt (1913-1926)
Fluorite no.3 - Goldschmidt (1913-1926)
Fluorite no.12 - Goldschmidt (1913-1926)
Fluorite no.45 - Goldschmidt (1913-1926)
Fluorite no.66 - Goldschmidt (1913-1926)

About Crystal Atlas

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Epitaxi Comments:Siderite upon fluorite with siderite [0001] parallel to fluorite [111].

Pyrite upon fluorite with parallel axes.

Quartz upon fluorite.
X-Ray Powder Diffraction:
Image Loading

Radiation - Copper Kα
Data Set:
Horizontal Axis: ° to ° Vertical Axis: % Source Data: Filtered Data: Peaks:
Data courtesy of RRUFF project at University of Arizona, used with permission.
X-Ray Powder Diffraction:
d-spacingIntensity
3.16(90)
1.932(100)
1.647(30)
1.366(10)
1.253(10)
1.115(20)
1.051(10)

Optical Data of Fluorite

Type:Isotropic
RI values: n = 1.433 - 1.448
Birefringence:None
Maximum Birefringence:δ = 0.000 - Isotropic minerals have no birefringence
Surface Relief:Moderate
Dispersion:None
Comments:Frequently exhibits very weak anomalous birefringence, especially in cleaved, cut or pressed crystals. The birefringence is usually distributed in lamellae parallel to [001].

Chemical Properties of Fluorite

Formula:
CaF
 
2
Essential elements:Ca, F
All elements listed in formula:Ca, F
Analyical Data:Minute cavities filled with gas, water, or an organic liquid are often present. May contain free fluorine and calcium due to radioactive decay (Wölsendorf, Germany) that emits an odor of HF and ozone upon grinding.
Common Impurities:Y,Ce,Si,Al,Fe,Mg,Eu,Sm,O,ORG,Cl,TR
Relationship of Fluorite to other Species
Common Associates:
QuartzCalciteDolomiteBaryteCelestine
Pyrite
Related Minerals - Nickel-Strunz Grouping):
3.AB.05Tolbachite
CuCl
 
2
3.AB.10Coccinite
HgI
 
2
3.AB.15Sellaite
MgF
 
2
3.AB.20Chloromagnesite
MgCl
 
2
3.AB.20Lawrencite
(Fe
2+
 
,Ni)Cl
 
2
3.AB.20Scacchite
MnCl
 
2
3.AB.25Frankdicksonite
BaF
 
2
3.AB.30Tveitite-(Y)
(Y, Na)
 
6
Ca
 
6
Ca
 
6
F
 
42
3.AB.35Gagarinite-(Y)
NaCaY(F,Cl)
 
6
3.AB.35Zajacite-(Ce)
Na(REE
 
x
Ca
 
1-x
)(REE
 
y
Ca
 
1-y
)F
 
6
Related Minerals - Hey's Index Grouping:
8.4.1Sellaite
MgF
 
2
8.4.2Neighborite
NaMgF
 
3
8.4.3Bischofite
MgCl
 
2
 · 6H
 
2
O
8.4.4Korshunovskite
Mg
 
2
[(OH)
 
3
|Cl] · 4H
 
2
O
8.4.5Carnallite
KMgCl
 
3
·6H
 
2
O
8.4.6Tachyhydrite
CaMg
 
2
Cl
 
6
·12H
 
2
O
8.4.8Sinjarite
CaCl
 
2
·2H
 
2
O
8.4.9Antarcticite
CaCl
 
2
 · 6H
 
2
O
8.4.10Chlorocalcite
KCaCl
 
3
8.4.11Rorisite
CaFCl
8.4.12Jarlite
Na(Sr,Ca)
 
3
Al
 
3
F
 
16
8.4.13Calcjarlite
Na(Ca,Sr)
 
3
Al
 
3
(OH)
 
2
F
 
14
8.4.14Tikhonenkovite
Sr[AlF
 
4
(OH)(H
 
2
O)]
8.4.15Acuminite
Sr[AlF
 
4
(OH)(H
 
2
O)]
8.4.16Frankdicksonite
BaF
 
2
8.4.17Usovite
Ba
 
2
CaMgAl
 
2
F
 
14
8.4.18Bøgvadite
Na
 
2
SrBa
 
2
[Al
 
4
F
 
20
]
Other Names for Fluorite
Synonyms:
AndrodamantBruiachiteCandChrome-FluoriteDerbyshire Spar
Fluate of LimeFluorFluorbaryteFluoresFluoride of Calcium
FluorsparFluor SparFlusseKandLiparite (of Glocker)
Lithophosphorus SuhlensisMurrhina
French names:
Chaux fluatéeFluorineSpath fusibleSpath vitreux
German names:
BruiachitCamFluorbarytFluoritFluss
Flusssaurer KalkFlußspatFlussspatFlußspathLysspat
Ratofkit
Italian names:
FluorinaSpato fluore
Latin names:
Calx fluorataFluor mineralis StolbergicusSpatum vitreum
Russian names:
Флюорит
Spanish names:
BruiachitaEspato fluorFluoritaFluspat
Swedish names:
Glas-Spat
Traditional Chinese names:
萤石
Varieties:
Blue JohnChlorophaneFalse AmethystStink-flussYttrofluorite
Other Information
Fluorescence in UV light:Blue under LWUV, due to erbium; other colors caused by different activators (white & cream - organic matter). Red (Mapimi, Mexico), pink (Doña Ana claims, AZ), white (Sterling Hill, NJ)

May also be phosphorescent.
Thermal Behaviour:Melting point 1360°.
Other Information:May be thermoluminescent or triboluminescent.



Decomposed by H2SO4; slightly soluble in hot HCl. Slightly soluble in water (0.016 grams per liter at 18°.
Health Warning:No information on health risks for this material has been entered into the database. You should always treat mineral specimens with care.
Industrial Uses:Flux in steel making; source of fluorine
References for Fluorite
Reference List:Exner (1873) Härte an Krystallflächen, Wien, 31, 34.



Pockels (1889) Annalen der Physik, Halle, Leipzig: 37: 144, 372.



Martens (1901) Annalen der Physik, Halle, Leipzig: 6: 616.



Paschen (1901) Annalen der Physik, Halle, Leipzig: 4: 302.



Hintze (1912): 1(2B): 2384.



Bragg (1914) Proceedings of the Royal Society of London: 89: 468.



Goldschmidt (1918): 4: 8.



Steinmetz (1925) Zs. Kr. 61: 380.



Doelter (1930): 4(3): 228.



Goebel (1930) Konigliche Akademie der Wissenschaften, Vienna: 139: 373.



Holzgang (1930) Schweizerische mineralogische und petrographische Mitteilungen, Frauenfeld: 10: 374.



Obernauer (1932) Neues Jahrbuch für Mineralogie, Geologie und Paleontologie, Heidelberg, Stuttgart: 66: 89.



Iimori (1933) Science Papers Institute of Physics and Chemistry Res. Tokyo: 20: 189.



Matossi and Brix (1934) Zeitschrift für Physik, Brunswick, Berlin: 92: 303  



Haberlandt and Schiener (1935) Zs. Kr.: 90: 193.



Tousey (1936) Physical Review, a Journal of Experimental and Theoretical Physics: 50: 1057.



Hoffmann (1937) Che, Erde: 11: 368.



Schaake (1937) Zs. Kr.: 98: 281.



Przibram (1938) Nature: 141: 970.



Bradistilov and Stranski (1940) Zs. Kr.: 103: 1.



Palache, Charles, Harry Berman & Clifford Frondel (1951), The System of Mineralogy of James Dwight Dana and Edward Salisbury Dana Yale University 1837-1892, Volume II: Halides, Nitrates, Borates, Carbonates, Sulfates, Phosphates, Arsenates, Tungstates, Molybdates, Etc. John Wiley and Sons, Inc., New York, 7th edition, revised and enlarged: 29-37.



Isetti G. – (1959)  Ricerche sulla colorazione delle fluoriti; Nota I. Periodico di Mineralogia – Roma pp. 19-29.



Barabanov, V.F. and Goncharov, G.N. (1967) Dependence of luminescence spectra of fluorite on its genesis. Doklady Akademii Nauk SSSR: 173: 132-135.



Gaines, Richard V., H. Catherine, W. Skinner, Eugene E. Foord, Brian Mason, Abraham Rosenzweig (1997), Dana's New Mineralogy : The System of Mineralogy of James Dwight Dana and Edward Salisbury Dana: eighth edition. John Wiley and Sons, Inc., 1819 pp.: 380.



Fluorite - The Collector's Choice. Extra Lapis - English No. 9 126pp.
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