Fluorite (Fluorspar)

Cubic calcium fluoride and the Mohs 4 defining mineral, transparent from 150 nm to 9 µm for UV and lens optics.

Specifications & Metrics

type

Halide Mineral

formula

CaF₂ (cubic)

crystal system

Isometric (cubic)

hardness

4 Mohs (defining mineral)

refractive index

1.433–1.448

density

3.175–3.184 g/cm³

Core Principles & Analysis

• Fluorite was first described in 1530 by Georgius Agricola, and George Gabriel Stokes named the phenomenon of fluorescence after the mineral in 1852.
• Fluorite is transparent from about 150 nm to 9,000 nm, and synthetic fluorite optics are used for ultraviolet lithography at 157 nm.
• Canon Inc. produces synthetic fluorite crystals used in its better telephoto camera lenses.

Sources

• Wikipedia: Fluorite