F
FLUORITE
Name: from Latin “fluere,” which means “to flow”. This is due to the mineral's use as a flux (a purifying agent that helps metals melt easily) in iron and aluminum smelting.
AKA: fluorspar; rainbow fluorite
Chemical Composition: Calcium Fluoride (CaF2)
Color: Comes in virtually all colors: purple, violet, pink, yellow, green, blue, black, brown, clear/colorless, multi-colored, color-change, banded. The multi-colored or banded fluorite is often called rainbow fluorite.
Treatments:
Heat: sometimes used to change or enhance the color.
Irradiation: used to intensify or produce purple and blue colors.
Moh’s Hardness: 4.
Location Found: Brazil; China; Mexico; Mongolia; Russia; Spain; South Africa; United States (Illinois, Kentucky).
Birthstone: April (green); May (green).
Wedding Anniversaries: N/A.
Zodiac Signs: Aquarius, Capricorn, Gemini (purple), Pisces (all), Sagittarius (purple), Scorpio (blue), Virgo (purple).
Chakra Associations: all; Heart (green, pink); Third Eye (purple, violet, colorless); Throat (blue); Crown (purple, violet, clear/colorless); Solar Plexus (yellow).
Historical Associations: clarity; discernment; energy purification; sharpens intuition; insight; healing; objectivity; filters out mental clutter, emotional static, and energetic debris; walking between mental and mystical realms; shamans; mediums; clear communication; mental clarity; universal energy; creativity; will; emotional healing; balance; intuition; spiritual connection; prevent drunkenness/intoxication; genius; discernment; focus; concentration; learning; studying; cleanse and stabilize the aura; absorbing and neutralizing negative energy and stress; organization and order out of chaos in the mind and environment; intuition strengthened; spiritual connection..
Historically Used to Treat: mental fatigue; mental fog; nervous system on edge; memory retention; emotional regulation; intoxication; immune system; infections; skin; bone; teeth; rheumatism; arthritis; spinal injuries.
Care: Requires very gentle handling. Sunlight can fade the stone. Avoid sudden temperature changes. Avoid ultrasonic, harsh chemicals (esp. acids), and high heat. Mild, soapy water and a soft cloth or brush is safe. Store away from harder materials.
Imitations: Due to its low hardness, it is not often imitated, but its colors may sometimes be confused with other, harder gems like Amethyst or Emerald.
Synthetics: Transparent, optical-grade synthetic fluorite (calcium fluoride) has been grown in labs for use in high-performance lenses (telescopes, cameras, microchips) because of its excellent light transmission and low dispersion, but this is not typically produced or sold for jewelry/crystal healing markets.