Fluorspar, or fluorite: description, properties and applications

2024 Author: Henry Conors | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-02-12 02:43

This mineral can have a variety of colors - from yellow and pink to blue, purple and even black. Sometimes, though very rarely, even colorless specimens are found. This is fluorite, a stone that has a hundred faces and as many uses.

Fluorspar: physical properties

This mineral has been known to people in one form or another since ancient times. It was used, among other things, in the smelting of ores, which helped to clear them of slags faster and easier. A synonym for fluorspar, which is used more often in mineralogy, is fluorite. Another name associated with the chemical formula is calcium fluoride.

Fluorspar is often a cubic crystal with a vitreous luster. Coloring can vary: there are yellow, blue, blue, red-pink, black-violet and other tones. Crystals can also be colorless, although this is rare. The coloration is zonal - it is affected by heating, as well as radiation.

Fluorspar has very curious properties: photo- and thermoluminescence. In addition to the fact that the samples glow in the dark, radiation is also observed when exposed to hightemperature and ultraviolet. At 1360 degrees Celsius, the mineral melts.

The name of spar, despite its rather rich history, was given only in the 16th century by George Agricola, the "father" of mineralogy. It is obvious that the name fluorite (from the Latin fluores) was chosen either because of its lightness or because of its use in the processing of ores. By the way, fluorine got its name - fluorum - from a stone, and not vice versa, because the chemical element was first extracted from this mineral. So, what else do we know about fluorite?

Formula and chemical properties

In its pure form, fluorite is CaF₂. However, very often it contains various impurities, including rare earth elements. They do not have a serious effect on the properties of the stone, changing only the nature of its color.

Fluorite reacts with sulfuric acid, releasing poisonous hydrogen fluoride, which, when inhaled, often led to the death of experimenters looking for the legendary Philosopher's Stone. So the "devilish" fame was fixed for the mineral.

With its help, other fluorine compounds are obtained, as well as the element in its pure form. In addition, one of the most sought after products is hydrofluoric acid.

Varieties

Fluorite is a stone with a hundred faces, because it comes in almost any color and shade. According to them, as a rule, some of its varieties are distinguished:

• Anthozonite - has a characteristic dark purple color,contains a lot of elemental fluorine, radioactive;
• Chlorophane is a green variety, due to the presence of samarium ions in its composition, it is also called fake emerald;
• ratovkid - characterized by color from purple to blue-violet and earthy or fine-grained structure;
• yttrofluorite - due to the replacement of calcium with yttrium and exposure to radiation, it acquires yellow hues.

Traditionally, fluorspar has been mistaken for nobler minerals like topazes, emeralds, amethysts, etc. However, it is easy to tell apart. Fluorite is a stone that is not hard, so you can easily scratch it with a needle or knife. On the Mohs scale, it corresponds to the number 4. This feature makes the processing of the mineral somewhat difficult, especially when it comes to very fine work.

Production

Fluorspar is one of the most common minerals. Its deposits are often found in dolomites, limestones, hydrothermal ores. It is accompanied by some other stones: quartz, galena, calcite, gypsum, apatite, topaz, tourmaline, etc.

The largest known deposits are located in the southeast of Germany, in England, almost everywhere in Central Asia, China, the USA, Central America, as well as in Transbaikalia, Buryatia, Primorsky Krai. Usually there are specimens of 5-6, less often up to 20 centimeters. The largest exporters of the mineral are Mongolia, China and Mexico. Kazakhstan is also an important supplier of optical fluorites.

Use

As already mentioned, people have known the mineral fluorspar since ancient times. They also found a use for it quite quickly: they made small items of utensils, household items, and all kinds of jewelry from it. For example, in ancient Rome, vases made from it were called murine and were highly valued.

With the development of metal processing, it was noticed that the mineral fluorite is an excellent flux, that is, it lowers the melting point of ores, simplifies the separation of slags.

Later, with the accumulation of some knowledge of chemistry, it was also used to obtain pure fluorine and its compounds. In particular, fluorite (formula CaF₂) is still used as a raw material for the reaction, the result of which is hydrofluoric acid. It is also used in many industries, such as ceramics and stained glass designs. Thus, it is not easy to overestimate the value of the mineral fluorite.

Besides this, it is still necessary for the manufacture of enamels and glazes, it is used in high-precision specialized optics, the design of quantum light generators, and, of course, some specimens are valued by jewelers. With proper processing, the beauty of the gem increases many times over, so that it can compete with its more noble and rare counterparts.

Jewellery

Fluorite is a mineral that was often passed off as more expensive and rare stones - citrine, emerald, amethyst, etc. However, experts have always been hard to deceive. well andas inserts in jewelry, this gem was not used very often: softness and the resulting complexity of processing made it simply meaningless. The exception was multi-color fluorites, combining a large number of shades. However, for the manufacture of inexpensive jewelry with simple processing, it is still used today.

Mystical and magical properties

Like many other minerals, fluorite is credited with the ability to cure certain diseases and alleviate conditions. So, lithotherapists advise to massage with products from this stone to patients suffering from headaches, epilepsy, and multiple sclerosis. It is also believed that it helps to get rid of weather dependence and chronic fatigue, reduce stress levels, and normalize sleep.

As for the esoteric, truly amazing properties are attributed to fluorite: it is believed that it is a powerful stimulant of spiritual development. It allows you to shift the focus in your life from material resources to the intellectual and emotional sphere. It is believed that fluorite talismans protect against ill-wishers and increase the ability for analytical thinking with a general powerful positive energy.