Mineral

Fluorite

Calcium fluoride, CaF2

Hardness: 4 on the Mohs scale. Color: Highly variable, often green, purple, blue, yellow, or clear. Luster: Vitreous. Crystal structure: Isometric, often cubic or octahedral. Cleavage: Perfect octahedral. Specific gravity: 3.175-3.184.

Hardness: 4 on the Mohs scale
Color: Highly variable, often green, purple, blue, yellow, or clear
Luster: Vitreous

Identified June 18, 2026More mineral →

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Physical properties

Formation & geological history

Forms in hydrothermal veins, often associated with metallic ores like lead and zinc. Also found in pegmatites and some carbonate rocks.

Uses & applications

Used primarily as a flux in steelmaking and aluminum smelting. Also used in the manufacture of hydrofluoric acid and specialty optics. Popular as a lapidary material and collector's specimen.

Geological facts

Fluorite is known as the 'most colorful mineral in the world' due to its wide range of brilliant colors. It is the mineral that gave the phenomenon of fluorescence its name.

Field identification & locations

Identified by its relatively low hardness (can be scratched by a steel knife), perfect cubic/octahedral cleavage, and frequent fluorescence under UV light. Common worldwide, with notable deposits in China, Mexico, South Africa, and the USA.