Fluorite

Fluorite (also called fluor-spar) 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. Crystal twinning is common and adds complexity to the observed crystal habits.

Uses

As well as ornamental uses, fluorite is also used as a flux in the manufacture of steel, in the making of opalescent glass, enamels for cooking utensils, and for hydrofluoric acid. Fluorite is also used in some high performance telescopes and camera lens elements instead of glass. It has a very low dispersion so light diffraction is far less than ordinary glass and in telescopes it allows crisp images of astronomical objects even at high power. Most optical material is now synthetic. The name fluorite is derived from the Latin fluo, flow, in reference to its use as a flux. Fluorite is slightly soluble in water, and is decomposed by sulfuric acid and forms free hydrofluoric acid.

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Mineral: This article is about minerals in the geologic sense; for nutrient minerals see dietary mineral; for the band see Mineral (band)....

Isometric: The term isometric comes from the Greek for "having equal measurement"....

Crystal twinning: Crystal twinning occurs when two separate crystals share some of the same crystal lattice points in a symmetrical manner. The result is an intergrowth of two separate crystals in a variety of specific configurations. A twin boundary or composition surface separates the two crystals. Crystallographer...

Fluorite related Images and Photos (experimental)

Fluorite Crystal (Caf2)