Hardness: 4.00
Refractive Index: 1.43
Specific Gravity: 3.10
Birthstone:
Astral Stone:
Anniversary Stone:
Origination: England, Norway, the former Russia, China & the United States.
Care & Cleaning: Fluorite is quite fragile and must be handled with care. To clean, rub lightly with a soft polishing cloth or use a plain water rinse.
Fiction, Facts & Folklore:
Because of its low hardness rating and its tendency to chip, some experts today do not classify fluorite as a gemstone.
When heated, some fluorite will actually glow in the dark.
Certain crystals will change color under fluorescent lighting. This property is a phenomena known in the gem world as �fluorescence�.
Fluorite may be found in shades of lavender, green, blue-violet and others.
Additionally, fluorite sometimes is found in combinations as a bicolor gem. Although the stone can be heated to produce this bicolor effect, it is a tedious and costly process that is seldom used. This means nearly all bicolor fluorite found at retail is natural.
Fluorite was first discovered in England in 1530.
Deposits of fluorite can be found in Illinois, New Hampshire & New York State.
Fluorite is basically a mixture of calcium and fluoride.
Fluorite, like calcite, is often found residing in slabs of limestone.
Fluorite is also used as flux in the manufacturing of steel.
Believe it or not, the State of New Jersey is an important domestic source for fluorite