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Fluorite (Photo) [abbr. Fl ]

Year of discovery: 1797 (Jáchymov (St Joachimsthal), Czech, and Breitenbrunn, Germany), 1877 (Japan)

Locality list: 382 localities of fluorite

• CaF₂
• [Ca²⁺][F₂]^2-

• Class: Fluorite group
• Class: Fluoride
• Variety: Yttrofluorite (+Y)
• Soluble in: Water (Slightly), hot HCl, H₂SO₄ (Decompose)
• Fluorescence: UV excitation (Blue by Er), Phosphorescence, Thermoluminescence, Triboluminescence
• Lightfastness: Color fade by Light exposure (Rarely)
• Substitution pseudomorph: Replaced by Dolomite.

• Ca => Ba: Frankdicksonite

• Color: Pale green, Pale purple, Colorless
• Streak: White
• Luster: Vitreous
• Diaphaneity: Transparent

• Habit: Octahedral, Cubic

• Cleavage: Perfect on {111} (4 planes)
• Hardness: 4
• Density: 3.2

• System: Cubic
• Group: m3m, Fmem
• Lattice: a=5.5

Etymology: Fluere (flow) in Latin, as fluorite is used to enhance melting Fe.