fluorite

[ floor-ahyt, flawr-, flohr- ]

noun

1. a common mineral, calcium fluoride, CaF 2 , occurring in green, blue, purple, yellow, or colorless crystals, usually in cubes: the principal source of fluorene, used also as a flux in metallurgy and for ornament.

fluorite

/ ˈflʊəraɪt /

noun

1. a white or colourless mineral sometimes fluorescent and often tinted by impurities, found in veins and as deposits from hot gases. It is used in the manufacture of glass, enamel, and jewellery, and is the chief ore of fluorine. Composition: calcium fluoride. Formula: CaF 2 . Crystal structure: cubic Also called (in Britain and certain other countries)fluorsparfluor

fluorite

/ flr′īt′ /

1. A transparent to translucent mineral occurring in many colors, especially yellow and purple, and usually in cube-shaped crystals with octahedral cleavage. It is found in sedimentary rocks and in ore deposits within igneous rocks. It is often fluorescent in ultraviolet light. Chemical formula: CaF 2 .

Word History and Origins

Origin of fluorite¹

From Italian, dating back to 1865–70; fluor-, -ite ¹

Example Sentences

Some fissure veins of fluorite in limestone in southern Illinois are twenty to forty feet wide.

From Project Gutenberg

Fluorite is widely distributed, most commonly in vein deposits, often associated with metallic ores.

From Project Gutenberg

In England, fluorite is obtained in this manner as a by-product from lead and zinc mines.

From Project Gutenberg

Only certain varieties of fluorite show the phenomenon well.

From Project Gutenberg

Agricola derived the name fluores from fluo "to flow," and we in turn obtain "fluorite," or "fluorspar," from Agricola.

From Project Gutenberg