Name:
Fluorite		 Origin of name:
from Latin fluore, to flow from its use as a flux		 Chemical composition:
CaF2
Fluorite, calcium fluoride, crystallises as cubes and octahedra, which may be twinned; it also occurs in massive and granular forms. Fluorite is typically found in hydrothermal veins, usually associated with granitic intrusions.

Some fluorite is strongly fluorescent in ultra-violet light. Move your cursor over the picture to see what fluorite looks like in UV light.

Fluorite earned it name from its use as a flux, to help remove impurities during iron smelting. It is also sometimes used as a decorative stone.

 Crystal system:
cubic
Class:
Halides
Hardness:
4
Cleavage:
perfect octahedral
Colour:
highly variable; incudes colourless, purple, or green
Specific gravity:
3.1-3.3

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