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Fluorite is the "State Mineral" of Illinois. 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.
Fluorite was was mined deep underground with many of the mines over 1,200 feet deep. The last Illinois mine was capped and flooded in 1995.
Elbaite, also known as Tourmaline, is a group of mixed crystals with the following major members, Elbaite, Dravite, Schorl, Buergerite, Tsilaisite, and Uvite. The general color range of the mineral's family are colorless, pink, green, blue, yellow, brown, and black. What distinguishes tourmalines are the three-sided cross sections that are different than any other mineral.
