mineral

Fluorite (Rainbow Fluorite Tower)

Fluorite (Calcium Fluoride, CaF2)

Hardness: 4 (Mohs scale); Color: Banded green, purple, and blue; Luster: Vitreous; Crystal Structure: Isometric/Cubic (though this specimen is carved); Cleavage: Perfect octahedral; Specific Gravity: 3.175–3.184.

Hardness: 4 (Mohs scale)
Color: Banded green, purple, and blue
Luster: Vitreous

Identified April 4, 2026More mineral →

Identify your own rocks.

Get a report just like this from any photo, free.

App Store Google Play

Physical properties

Formation & geological history

Formed through hydrothermal activity in veins alongside lead and zinc ores; often found in carbonate rocks. It is deposited as hot mineral-rich solutions cool while moving through crustal fractures.

Uses & applications

Industrial flux in steelmaking, manufacturing of hydrofluoric acid, high-clarity optical lenses, and widely sold as decorative towers or jewelry in the metaphysical market.

Geological facts

Fluorite is where the term 'fluorescence' originated, as many specimens glow under UV light. It is often called 'the most colorful mineral in the world' due to the wide array of impurities that cause its vibrant banding.

Field identification & locations

Collectors identify it by its 4.0 hardness (it can be scratched by a steel pocket knife but not a copper penny) and its characteristic color banding and translucent nature. Common sources include China, Mexico, South Africa, and the USA (Illinois/Kentucky).

Other mineral specimens

See all

Sandstone (with potential mineral staining/concretions)

Arenite (SiO2 based)

sedimentary

Epidote

Epidote | Ca2(Al2,Fe3+)(SiO4)(Si2O7)O(OH)

metamorphic

Nephrite Jade

Nephrite

Mineral/Rock

Banded Gneiss (River Rock/Pebble)

Gneiss (specifically a banded variety often found as a river rock)

Metamorphic Rock

Green Apatite on Albite

Fluorapatite [Ca5(PO4)3F] on Albite [Na(AlSi3O8)]

mineral

Epidote

Epidote - Ca2(Al2,Fe3+)3(SiO4)3(OH)

mineral