Fluorite Crystals
Fluorite (also called fluorspar) is a mineral composed of calcium fluoride, CaF2. It is an isometric mineral with a cubic habit, though octahedral and more complex isometric forms are not uncommon. Fluorite may occur as a vein deposit, especially with metallic minerals, where it often forms a part of the gangue (the worthless "host-rock" in which valuable minerals occur) and may be associated with galena, sphalerite, barite, quartz, and calcite. It is a common mineral in deposits of hydrothermal origin and has been noted as a primary mineral in granites and other igneous rocks and as a common minor constituent of dolostone and limestone. Fluorite is a widely occurring mineral which is found in large deposits in many areas. Notable deposits occur in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, England, Norway, Mexico, and Ontario in Canada. Large deposits also occur in Kenya in the Kerio Valley area within the Great Rift Valley. In the United States, deposits are found in Missouri, Oklahoma, Illinois, Kentucky, Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona, Ohio, New Hampshire, New York, Alaska and Texas. Flourite has been the state mineral of Illinois since 1965. At that time, Illinois was the largest producer of fluorite in the United States; however, the last Illinois mine closed in 1995.
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Photo credit: © Phil Degginger / Alamy / Afripics
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Keywords: calcium, crystal, crystals, cubic, fluoride, fluorite, fluorspar, mineral, minerals, purple, rock, specimen, xls
