Sep 26 2013
Fluorite is a halide mineral composed of calcium fluoride. This mineral has an isometric crystal system and a cubic morphology. The mineral derives its name from the Latin word fluere, which means ‘to flow’.
Properties of Fluorite
The following are the key properties of Fluorite:
- Cell Data
- Space Group: Fm3m
- a = 5.4626
- Z = 4
- Crystal Data
- Cubic
- Point Group: 4/m32/m.
- Cubes, octahedra, rarely dodecahedra, or combinations, with many other forms; rounded or stepped, to 2m.
- Nodular, botryoidal, rarely columnar or fibrous; granular, massive.
- Twinning: Common on {111}, interpenetrant, flattened.
- X-ray powder pattern: 1.931 (100), 3.153 (94), 1.647 (35), 1.1150 (16), 1.366 (12), 1.253 (10), 0.8637 (9).
- Chemical Composition
| Elements |
Content 1 |
Content 2 |
| SiO2 |
0.05 |
- |
| MgO |
0.03 |
- |
| Ca |
51.24 |
51.33 |
| F |
48.29 |
48.67 |
| LOI |
0.22 |
- |
| Total |
99.83 |
100.00 |
- Optical Properties
- Optical Class: Isotropic; weak anomalous anisotropism.
- n = 1.433–1.448.
- Estimated Properties
| Electron density |
Bulk density (electron density) = 3.10 g/cm3
note: Specific gravity of Fluorite = 3.18 g/cm3 |
| Photoelectric |
PEFluorite = 6.67 barns/electron
U = PEFluorite x ρElectron density = 20.66 barns/cm3 |
| Fermion index |
Fermion index = 0.0006 |
|
Radioactivity
|
Fluorite is not radioactive. |
How to Identify Fluorite
Fluorite can be observed in blue, red, green, yellow and white colors. It has transparent to subtranslucent appearance with a white streak, vitreous luster and perfect cleavage. The fractures to this minerals are uneven producing coarse, disseminated crystals. This mineral exhibits fluorescence, and has a relative hardness of 4 and an average density of 3.13 g/cm3.
Global Distribution
Fluorite is distributed in the following places:
- Cornwal, England
- Durham, as at Weardale, England
- Castleton, Derbyshire, England
- Bex, Var, France
- Le Beix, Puy-de-Dôme, France
- Mont Blanc, near Chamonix, Haute-Savoie
- Göscheneralp Uri, Switzerland
- Berbes, Asturias Province, Spain
- Nikolaev mine, Dal’negorsk, Russia
- Kara Oba, Kazakhstan
- Xianghuapu, Hunan Province, China
- Naica, Chihuahua, Mexico
- Musquiz, Coahuila
- Ojuela mine, Mapimi, Durango
- Macomb, St.Lawrence Co, USA
- Penfield, Monroe Co., New York
- Clay Center, Ottawa Co., Ohio
- Hardin Co., Illinois
- Elmwood mine, Smith Co., Tennessee
- Sunnyside mine, San Juan Co., Colorado
- Pine Canyon deposit, Burro Mountains
- Grant Co., New Mexico
- Madoc, Ontario, Canada
- Rock Candy mine, near Grand Forks, British Columbia
- Huanzala, Huanuco, Peru
- Okorusu, Namibia
- Nagar, near Karimabad, Gilgit district, Pakistan.
Occurrence of Fluorite and Useful Mineral Association
Fluorite occurs in an accessory mineral in granite, granite pegmatites and syenites; around fumaroles; in carbonatites and alkaline intrusives. The mineral can also be found in low- to high-temperature hydrothermal veins and stratabound deposits. It is closely associated with apatite, scheelite, wolframite, topaz, cassiterite, sulfides, celestine, barite, calcite, dolomite and quartz.
References