Mineral Type - Fluorite
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, pegmatites and high-temperature veins, and as a component of some marbles and other metamorphic rocks.
Transparency: Transparent
Colour: Purple, lilac, golden-yellow, green, colourless, blue, pink, champagne, brown.
Streak: White
Hardness: 4 on Mohs scale
Tenacity: Brittle
Cleavage: Perfect *Perfect on {111}, very easy
Parting: Indistinct parting or cleavage on {011} at times
Fracture: Splintery, Sub-Conchoidal
Density: 3.175 - 3.56 g/cm3 (Measured) 3.181 g/cm3 (Calculated)
Elements listed: Ca, F
Common Impurities: Y,Ce,Si,Al,Fe,Mg,Eu,Sm,O,ORG,Cl,TR
Class (H–M): m3m (4/m 3 2/m) - Hexoctahedral
Space Group: Fm3m
Name
Named in 1797 by Carlo Antonio Galeani Napione 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 of the element.Physical Properties
Lustre: Vitreous, DullTransparency: Transparent
Colour: Purple, lilac, golden-yellow, green, colourless, blue, pink, champagne, brown.
Streak: White
Hardness: 4 on Mohs scale
Tenacity: Brittle
Cleavage: Perfect *Perfect on {111}, very easy
Parting: Indistinct parting or cleavage on {011} at times
Fracture: Splintery, Sub-Conchoidal
Density: 3.175 - 3.56 g/cm3 (Measured) 3.181 g/cm3 (Calculated)
Chemical Properties
Formula: CaF2Elements listed: Ca, F
Common Impurities: Y,Ce,Si,Al,Fe,Mg,Eu,Sm,O,ORG,Cl,TR
Age Distribution
Recorded ages: Phanerozoic : 321 ± 22 Ma to 20.8 Ma - based on 5 recorded agesCrystallography
Crystal System: IsometricClass (H–M): m3m (4/m 3 2/m) - Hexoctahedral
Space Group: Fm3m