mineral
Fluorite
Calcium Fluoride (CaF2)
AI-generated identification · may be incorrectMohs hardness of 4, exhibits extreme color variability including green, purple, and blue, vitreous luster, and perfect octahedral cleavage.
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Physical properties
Mohs hardness of 4, exhibits extreme color variability including green, purple, and blue, vitreous luster, and perfect octahedral cleavage.
Formation & geological history
Forms primarily in hydrothermal veins and carbonate rocks through low-temperature deposition from fluorine-bearing solutions.
Uses & applications
Extensively used as a flux in steelmaking, in the production of hydrofluoric acid, and as a popular specimen for mineral collectors.
Geological facts
Fluorite is the defining mineral for a hardness of 4 on the Mohs scale and often displays strong fluorescence under ultraviolet light.
Field identification & locations
Readily identified by its relatively soft nature, cubic crystal habit, and perfect cleavage; commonly mined in China, Mexico, and South Africa.
