Fluorite is used as flux in steel making, manufacture of opalescent glass, in enameling cooking utensils and for preparation of HF

Chemical composition: CaF₂, Minor amount of Y, Ce and other rare earth elements may substitute for Ca. Na, Ba, Sr and CI may be present in small amounts.

Physical properties:

(i) Form: Commonly crystallized (cube), also occurs in massive and granular forms.

(ii) Colour: Colourless to light green, bluish green, yellow, purple, white, brown and pink.

(iii) Lustre: Vitreous.

(iv) Streak: White.

(v) Hardness: 4.

(vi) Cleavage: Perfect octahedral.

(vii) Fracture: Conchoidal to uneven.

(viii) Specific gravity: 3 – 3.25.

(ix) Diaphaneity: Transparent to translucent.

Use: Fluorite is used as flux in steel making, manufacture of opalescent glass, in enameling cooking utensils and for preparation of HF. Transparent fluorite is used for the construction of lenses.