Fluorite on Quartz, Mongolia
Wonderfully clear and cubic formation of Fluorite on a Quartz matrix. The fluorite is a pale, seafoam green, and the quartz has a white/blue hue. The mineral is glued to an acrylic display stand.
Measurements of Mineral: ~2-¾ " tall x 2-¼ " wide x 1-¾ " deep
Measurements on base: ~3-¼" tall x 2" wide x 1-½" deep
Location: Choir Area, Gobi Desert, Mongolia
Fluorite forms in a variety of colors and is transparent to translucent in clarity. The chemical composition of Fluorite is CaF2, (calcium & fluorine.) The variation in colors are due to trace amounts of other elements replacing the calcium during the crystalline formation.
Fluorite is used in a variety of industrial purposes and the overwhelming percentage of Fluorite in the United States was mined in Illinois and Kentucky. Illinois became the leading Fluorite producer in the early 1940's, but during the 1990's, 90% of the U.S. Fluorite was imported with Illinois remaining the last U.S. producer.