Fluorite (forbye cried fluorspar) is a halide mineral componed o calcium fluoride, CaF2. It is an isometric mineral wi a cubic habit, tho octahedral an mair complex isometric furms arenae uncommon.

Fluorite
Deep green isolated fluorite crystal shawin cubic an octahedral faces, set on a micaceous matrix, frae Erongo Mountain, Erongo Region, Namibie (overall size: 50 mm x 27 mm, crystal size: 19 mm wide, 30 g)
General
CategoryHalide mineral
Formula
(repeatin unit)
CaF2
Strunz clessification03.AB.25
Creestal seestemIsometric, cF12, SpaceGroup Fm3m, No. 225
Space groupIsometric H–M Symbol 4/m 3 2/m
Unit cella = 5.4626 Å; Z=4
Identification
ColourColourless, white, purpie, blae, green, yellae, orange, reid, pink, broun, blaeish black; commonly zoned; can be ony colour o the spectrum.
Creestal habitOccurs as weel-formed coarse sized crystals an nodular, botryoidal, rarely columnar or fibrous; granular, massive
TwinninCommon on {111}, interpenetrant, flattened
CleavageOctahedral, perfect on {111}, pairtin on {011}
FracturSubconchoidal tae uneven
TenacityBrickle
Mohs scale haurdness4 (definin mineral)
SkinkleVitreous
StreakWhite
DiaphaneitySkyre tae leamin
Speceefic gravity3.175–3.184; tae 3.56 gif heich in rare-yird elements
Optical propertiesIsotropic; waik anomalous anisotropism
Refractive index1.433–1.448
Fusibility3
Ither chairacteristicswhiles phosphoresces whan heatit or scartit. Ither varieties fluoresce
References[1][2][3][4]

Fluorite is a colourful mineral, baith in veesible an ultraviolet licht, an the stane haes ornamental an lapidary uses. Industrially, fluorite is uised as a flux for smeltin, an in the production o certaint glasses an enamels. The purest grades o fluorite is a soorce o fluoride for hydrofluoric acid manufactur, that is the intermediate soorce o maist fluorine-containin fine chemicals. Optically clear transparent fluorite lenses hae law dispersion, sae lenses made frae it exhibit less chromatic aberration, makkin thaim valuable in microscopes an telescopes. Fluorite optics can be uised in the far-ultraviolet range an aw, whaur conventional glesses is too absorbent tae uise.

References

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  1. Anthony, John W.; Bideaux, Richard A.; Bladh, Kenneth W. and Nichols, Monte C. (ed.). "Fluorite". Handbook of Mineralogy (PDF). III (Halides, Hydroxides, Oxides). Chantilly, VA, US: Mineralogical Society of America. ISBN 0962209724. Retrieved 5 December 2011.CS1 maint: multiple names: eeditors leet (link)
  2. Fluorite. Mindat.org
  3. Fluorite. Webmineral.com
  4. Hurlbut, Cornelius S.; Klein, Cornelis, 1985, Manual of Mineralogy, pp. 324–325, 20th ed., ISBN 0-471-80580-7