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Typical Price Tiers (per piece)
Entry
$5+
Mid-tier
$100+
Premium
$2,000+
Investment
$20,000+
Specimen value. Cumbria / Elmwood / Erongo classics. Color rarity primary driver.
Approximate retail prices. Wholesale + private sale typically 40-60% of retail. Auction premium 10-25%. For investment-grade purchase steps, see the investment checklist.
Crystal Structure
Cubic; F⁻ in simple-cubic, Ca²⁺ in 1/2 of FCC voids.
External databases provide CIF (Crystallographic Information File) downloads + interactive 3D viewers. AMCSD: American Mineralogist Crystal Structure Database (free, RRUFF-hosted). COD: open community-curated database.
Elemental Composition (by mass)
| Element | Mass % | Visual |
|---|---|---|
| Ca Calcium | 51.33% | |
| F Fluorine | 48.67% |
Computed from simplified end-member formula. Solid-solution series, water content, and trace substitutions cause real-world variation.
Reference Resources
- 300+ localities documented
- Classic locality monograph
IMA Abbreviation (Whitney-Evans 2010)
Fl
→ Fluorite
CaF₂
Standard symbol from American Mineralogist (Whitney & Evans, 2010). Used in thin-section labeling, phase diagrams, and IMA-style species records.
⏳ Long-term Aging & Care Timeline
color center fadeyears to decades
Trigger: sustained sunlight
Intervention: Some color-zoned material loses purple/blue color. Indirect lighting preserves color longer.
Pronunciation
/ˈflʊəraɪt/
↔ FLOOR-ite
Latin "to flow"
Lapidary & Faceting Recommendations
Recommended cut:
cabochon / fantasy
Also seen:
cushion, fantasy
Typical yield:
30% of rough
Cleaves on {111} — most faceted fluorite has fantasy shapes that avoid stress on cleavage. Generally not cut into traditional jewelry stones.
⚠ Safety & Handling
☼light-sensitivemoderate
Some color-center colors fade in sunlight over years.
Handling: Display under indirect or filtered light if pristine color matters.
Information provided in good faith. Consult local hazmat regulations for transport and disposal. Severely hazardous specimens may require special storage cabinets.
UV Fluorescence
SW (254 nm)
Blue / violet
strong
LW (365 nm)
Blue / violet
strong
⏱ Phosphorescence: yes (some)
Origin of the word "fluorescence". Color varies widely with REE content. Daylight-fluorescent material (yttrofluorite) glows in sunlight.
SW = shortwave (germicidal lamp). LW = longwave (blacklight). Response varies with locality, trace impurities, and treatment.
Pseudomorph Relationships
Replaced by — this mineral commonly becomes:
→ Quartz replacement
Hexagonal quartz crystals filling cubic fluorite voids — "Cumberland diamonds".
Cumbria, UK.
A pseudomorph (Greek "false form") is a mineral with the external shape of another species — the chemistry has changed but the crystal habit is inherited. › Full catalogue
Tenacity
Behavior:
brittle
Under stress:
Cleaves octahedrally
Sharp blow yields octahedral cleavage fragments.
Luster
vitreous
Glassy.
Color Cause (Chromophore)
Chromophore:
F-center / REE
Mechanism:
electron color centers + rare earth elements
Color produced:
multiple
Color centers (Schottky defects) plus REE inclusions (Y, Ce, Sm) produce wide color range. Heating destroys color.
Notable localities (coordinates)
- Cumbria — England, UK54.5000, -3.0000 › OpenStreetMap
- Mont Blanc — Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, France45.8300, 6.8500 › OpenStreetMap
All localities and full GeoJSON available at /wp-json/mmb/v1/localities-geo
Diaphaneity (Transparency)
transparent
Gem-grade fluorite highly transparent; cleavage rhombs translucent.
Magnetism
Category:
diamagnetic
Test result:
Slight repulsion
CaF₂; classic diamagnetic standard.
Test with rare-earth magnet (N42 or N52 neodymium). Suspend specimen on thread for sensitive paramagnetic detection. Diamagnetic minerals are weakly repelled (visible only with strong magnets like bismuth).
Diagnostic Field Tests
Hardness→ Mohs 4 — knife scratches it
A steel knife scratches fluorite; fluorite scratches calcite.
UV fluorescence→ Often strong blue/violet (LW)
Source of the word "fluorescence" — varies widely by locality.
HCl test→ No reaction
Distinguishes from carbonates of similar habit.
⚠ Use dilute HCl (~10%) only on inconspicuous spots; rinse promptly. Smell-tests should be brief and ventilated. Taste-test ONLY halite/sylvite — never lead, arsenic, or sulfur minerals.
Specific Gravity
3.18–3.20
g/cm³
medium
CaF₂; classic medium-density reference.
For comparison: water = 1.00, glass ≈ 2.5, quartz = 2.65, corundum ≈ 4.00, galena ≈ 7.50, gold ≈ 19.3.
Streak Test
white
Almost always white regardless of color.
Streak = color of the powdered mineral. Drag specimen across unglazed white porcelain plate (Mohs 6.5). For minerals harder than the plate, crush a small flake into powder and observe color.
Geological Setting
Environment:
hydrothermal
Host rock:
hydrothermal vein, sedimentary replacement, pegmatite
Companions:
Mississippi Valley type Pb-Zn deposits host the great commercial fluorite. Chinese sphalerite-fluorite veins are world-class.
Characteristic Inclusions
Phantom crystalsgrowth-pattern★ diagnostic
Earlier growth stages visible as ghost cubes inside the host. Common in Chinese material.
Two-phase inclusionstwo-phase
Hexagonal or rounded negative crystals with fluid + bubble.
★ Diagnostic inclusions are characteristic enough to help identify origin or species under 10× loupe.
Twinning Laws
Penetration twinpenetration
Two cubes interpenetrating along {111}. Classic Cumbria specimens.
Care notesDry brush only. Avoid water if uncertain — some fluorite reacts to chlorinated tap water by surface etching. Never ultrasonic-clean (shatters cleavage). Full cleaning guide →
Formation eraHydrothermal late-stage; English fluorite Permian ~280 Ma.
★★★★★4.96 / 5 based on 49 customer reviews across 269 specimens
Cleavage & Fracture
Cleavage:
perfect 4 directions {111} — octahedral
Fracture:
conchoidal
Classic octahedral cleavage. Striking when cleaved along {111}.
Market availability: Common
Widely available in most dealer stocks. Specimens span all price tiers.
Collector tier: Cabinet Classic
World-class display species — sought after for cabinet collections, well-documented localities, frequent show-piece pieces.
Mohs 4
Vickers (~) 200 HV
Knoop (~) 220 HK
Nickel–Strunz
3.AB.25Dana
09.02.01.01Diagnostic properties
Thermoluminescent
Element composition by mass
Formula: CaF₂ · molar mass: 78.07 g/mol
| Ca | 51.33% | |
| F | 48.67% |
Computed from atomic weights (IUPAC 2021). Site-occupancy groups (Fe,Mn) split equally.
Optical Effects
Fluorescent
Mohs Hardness
4
Fluorite sits at 4 on the Mohs scale — can be scratched by a steel knife.
Colors:
Streak
White
White
Crystal system
Isometric (Cubic)
Isometric (Cubic)
Pronunciation/ˈflʊəraɪt/
Type localityWölsendorf, Bavaria, Germany
✓ I have this★ WishlistView my collection →
Discovery First described 1530 by Georgius Agricola (Germany)
HalidesHalides
TL;DR · 1 min read
Fluorite is one of the most popular collector minerals in the world — and the single most important Chinese export species. Its perfect octahedral cleavage, sharp cubic crystals, and saturated color zoning have made Chinese fluorite the global benchmark for the last two decades.
Text size:AAA
Fluorite is one of the most popular collector minerals in the world — and the single most important Chinese export species. Its perfect octahedral cleavage, sharp cubic crystals, and saturated color zoning have made Chinese fluorite the global benchmark for the last two decades.
Notable Varieties #
- Blue John (banded purple/yellow)
- Antozonite (radioactive black)
- Chlorophane (thermoluminescent)
- Yttrofluorite (Y-bearing)
The Chinese Angle #
The Yaogangxian Mine in Hunan and the Xianghualing district produce the world's most architecturally perfect fluorite crystals — sharp 5-10 cm cubes with deep blue-green color zoning, often perched on milky quartz or wolframite. Hunan green fluorite is the international reference for top-tier collector grade.
Test at home — what scratches what
Will scratch your specimen:
🔪 Steel pocket knife (soft steel) (Mohs 5) · 🥃 Glass plate (Mohs 5.5) · 🔧 Steel file / hardened steel (Mohs 6.5) · ⚙ Sharp steel needle / quartz scratch (Mohs 7) · 🪨 Topaz scratch test (Mohs 8) · 💎 Corundum (sapphire/ruby) (Mohs 9)
🔪 Steel pocket knife (soft steel) (Mohs 5) · 🥃 Glass plate (Mohs 5.5) · 🔧 Steel file / hardened steel (Mohs 6.5) · ⚙ Sharp steel needle / quartz scratch (Mohs 7) · 🪨 Topaz scratch test (Mohs 8) · 💎 Corundum (sapphire/ruby) (Mohs 9)
Your specimen will scratch:
👆 Talc dust (Mohs 1) · 💅 Fingernail (Mohs 2.5) · 🪙 Copper coin (US penny) (Mohs 3.5)
👆 Talc dust (Mohs 1) · 💅 Fingernail (Mohs 2.5) · 🪙 Copper coin (US penny) (Mohs 3.5)
Always test on an inconspicuous edge first. Save the test for unimportant specimens — better to use a streak plate or knowledge of locality + paragenesis.
Cite this entry
APA
MyMineralBox Editorial Team. (2026). Fluorite. My Mineral Box. Retrieved May 23, 2026, from https://mymineralbox.com/mineral-encyclopedia/minerals/fluorite/
MLA
MyMineralBox Editorial Team. "Fluorite." My Mineral Box, 2026, https://mymineralbox.com/mineral-encyclopedia/minerals/fluorite/. Accessed May 23, 2026.
Chicago
MyMineralBox Editorial Team. "Fluorite." My Mineral Box. Last modified May 4, 2026. https://mymineralbox.com/mineral-encyclopedia/minerals/fluorite/.
BibTeX
@misc{mmb_fluorite,
author = {{MyMineralBox Editorial Team}},
title = {{Fluorite}},
year = {2026},
publisher = {My Mineral Box},
url = {https://mymineralbox.com/mineral-encyclopedia/minerals/fluorite/},
urldate = {2026-05-23}
}
