Diagnostic Features
Hardness: 4
Streak: None to white
Specific Gravity: 3.2
Luster: Nonmetallic glassy
Cleavage: 4 perfect directions (octahedral)
Fracture: None
Other: Occurs as perfect cubic crystals. Colors range from clear to yellow, green, blue and violet. Will not scratch glass.
Identification Tips
1. Fluorite crystals strongly resemble halite crystals but are readily distinguished by color, presence of four cleavage surfaces that are not parallel to crystal faces, insolubility in water, and the lack of salty taste.
2. Fluorite is frequently found in association with calcite and quartz.
3. Fluorite cleaves into perfect octahedra (eight-sided solids).
4. The cleavage planes in fluorite are oriented at 45 degree angles to the crystal faces.
