Muséum national d'histoire naturelle _ The species

FROM : Francimant mineral deposit, Paulinet collective, Tarn, France
SIZE : 25.5 x 10.5 x 4 cm

This sample is composed of many fluorite crystals on quartz. Fluorite cubes are sky blue verily colourless, they are dispersed on the whole quartz plate.

This fluorite comes from Francimant mineral deposit, in Tarn, France. It was discovered by Mr. Antoine Gangloff in 1945 who was then managing the acknowledgement of the mineral deposit. He offered it to the Muséum nationale d'Histoire naturelle in December 2006.

It is kept in the storage rooms of the collections of the Muséum (i.e., not yet displayed to the public).

Photography: A. Dahmane / Photo Saint-Hilaire,
© MNHN.

SPECIE : Fluorite

HISTORY : Name derived from Latin "fluere" meaning flowing, in reference to its melting behavior

Species first described in 1529 by Agricola Georgius (1494-1555), German mineralogist

Type-locality: undefined because species already known by the Ancients
ANCIENT NAME : Spatum vitreum, calx fluorata, spath fluor

CHEMICAL FORMULA : Ca F2
CRYSTAL SYSTEM : Cubic
COLOR : Colourless, white, blue, green, yellow, violet, pink
DIAPHANIETY : Transparent to translucent
LUSTER : Vitreous
STREAK : White
MORPHOLOGY : Well-formed crystals, cubic-shaped, octahedrally-shaped
HARDNESS : 4
DENSITY : 3,18

CHEMICAL CLASS : III - Halogénures
GROUP : Fluorite
STRUNZ CLASS BEFORE 2001 : 3/A.08-10
STRUNZ CLASS AFTER 2001 : 3.AB.25

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MNHN N°207.1

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