Two-toned Fluorite from Illinois

$289.50
In stock
SKU
i-min-1944
Quick Overview

This is a large Fluorite specimen from Illinois, with a pastel color palette. The crystals display a variety of light blue and light purple, as well as inclusions within the crystals that create rainbow light refractions! The specimen has nice clarity, with some chipping along the terminations, which has been taken into consideration during the pricing of this piece. 

Measurements: ~7" long x 4" wide x 6" deep

Location: Hardin Co, Illinois

More Information

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.