Our regular post in the ‘Stone Mascot of the Month’ column is about February fluorite (also called fluorspar). Pure fluorite is colourless and transparent in both visible and ultraviolet light, but impurities usually make it a colourful mineral. Several colours can be combined in one crystal: violet, green, white, yellow – almost all colours possible in the world of minerals, and they all mix and alternate, creating an unusual pattern. The mineral has had different names in various countries over the centuries. In Saxony, it was called "Erz Blume" ("Ore Flower"). The magical shimmer of the stone was associated with mysticism. Mine workers in Bavaria also encountered this unusual mineral in mineshafts, but it was unsightly in appearance – black, earthy in places, and the hue was violet. It was also fluorite, called it by the not at all poetic name of ‘Stinkend Holm’, that is, ‘Stinking Spar’.

Alchemists in the Middle Ages wrote their works in Latin. At that time, fluorites had a frightening name: "Lapis diaboli", which meant "The stone of a Devil" in Latin. When heated, the mineral emits a poisonous, foul-smelling gas and glows. The mystery of the Devil's Stone only became clearer during the Renaissance. The discovery was made by a German scientist that was considered one of the fathers of mineralogy. Georgius Agricola (1494-1555), the birth name Georg Pawer or Bauer (from German: Bauer – "peasant") gave the mineral its current name. After numerous experiments, the scientist proved the fact that crushed fluorite added to metallurgical furnaces significantly accelerated the melting of ore and lowered flowing temperature. Fluorite, when added to the ore, turned the slag into a viscous and swampy substance, thanks to which the mixture was freely detached from metal. This peculiarity of the mineral gave Agricola the idea to name the gem fluorite, which means fluid, fluctuating.

In 1852, fluorite gave its name to the phenomenon of fluorescence — after exposure to ultraviolet light, the crystal itself begins to emit light, glowing in the dark. This happens with fluorites due to certain impurities in the crystal. Fluorite serves as a "stand-in" for other gemstones due to its similarity in appearance. In fact, it is quite difficult to distinguish fluorite from precious stones such as amethyst, sapphire, emerald, topaz. The rich color palette of fluorites is similar to the shades of many natural gems. Some varieties of fluorite are even called "false amethyst" or "false emerald". Fluorite colouring is associated with impurities of chlorine, iron, uranium or defects in the crystal structure of the mineral. There is no other mineral in the world that has so many colours. It can be green, yellow, orange, blue and bright blue, white and almost transparent, brown, as well as pink, violet and black-purple and have the most unexpected shades. Even in a single crystal, the color can be heterogeneous, for example, merging from emerald green to deep violet or even containing all the colours of the rainbow.

With its versatile physical and chemical qualities, fluorspar is widely used in various fields of human activity, ranging from applications in manufacturing (glass, ceramic, cement, metallurgical, nuclear industries) to medicine (homeopathic medicine calcium fluoride) and magic. Valuable crystals are also widely used in the production of fluorite lenses and light traps. Their main advantage is their ability to reflect infrared and ultraviolet rays.

The mineral belongs to semi-precious stones. In jewelry, it is used to make bracelets, pendants, beads, caskets, vases, figurines and so on. The mineral is rarely used as insert in jewelry items, only for making imitation rubies, emeralds, amethysts and other precious stones. It is very easy to recognize a fake, it is enough to run a shard of glass over the surface of the insert and a deep trace is left on the surface.

Fluorite crystals are not expensive and valuable — the supplies are huge all over the world. The main deposits are located in Germany, Turkey, Italy, Mongolia, Norway, North America, Central Asia, Russia (in Chita region, Primorsky Krai, North Caucasus and Yakutia). Jewelry and collector's item material is mainly fluorite of Chinese origin.

The mineral has long been considered a powerful magical tool that can help in a variety of life situations. It is believed that an amulet made of this stone reveals in a person a source of creative energy of unprecedented power.

Objects presented in the museum Collection section “Lapidary Works of Art and Ivories”, in creating of which fluorite was used – are presented in the new thematic album.

On the cover: Fluorite bowl, Peter Muller, Brazil, last quarter of the 20^th century