How to understand that fluorite is real?

In the second part we will look at rose quartz, rauchtopaz, morion and fluorite . Pink quartz – Natural opaque rose quartz usually has internal defects, microcracks, zones of varying opacity and is practically never perfect. For example, if you take a polished ball of this mineral, one part may be white and the other pink. The presence of these signs indicates a natural origin. Its crystalline masses are riddled with cracks, translucent or almost transparent, and, as a rule, slightly cloudy. The color is given by impurities of titanium and manganese. When polished into a cabochon, tiny rutile needles, cracks and voids create a six-pointed star or a cat’s eye effect. Pure transparent varieties are worthy of cutting. Imitations of rose quartz are often made using glass that has been treated appropriately to reproduce the veining and inclusions characteristic of real stones. Rose quartz is also characterized by coolness and hardness of 7 on the Mohs scale, i.e. it also scratches the glass. Rose quartz often fades over time, except Brazilian rose quartz, which does not lose color even after prolonged exposure to sunlight. (It is better to store rose quartz in a dark place.) Imitation rose quartz is often sold on trays – a homogeneous opaque mass that looks like plastic, is bright pink in color, has rounded edges and weighs significantly less than the real thing. Also, transparent glass of various shades of pink can be sold as rose quartz, but natural transparent rose quartz is rare; it is then cut into jewelry cuts and such a stone is expensive. Most imitations and fakes today are made from glass of various qualities with various coloring additives (Savrovsky stones, glass rhinestones, black and golden aventurine, colored cat’s eye, milky moonstone, green chrysoberyl, opal glass, etc.). Even rauchtopazes (smoky quartz), morions (black quartz) and agates, the reserves of which are sufficient in nature, began to be counterfeited with glass. Smoky quartz – rauchtopaz (German rauch – “smoke”), a type of crystalline smoky quartz from gray to dark gray and brown (but not black), necessarily a transparent mineral. It may even be valued on a par with topaz, but contrary to popular belief, rauchtopaz has nothing to do with topaz. In fact, rauchtopaz is an outdated name that remains mostly in everyday use. Along with rock crystal, citrine and amethyst, rauchtopaz is the most valuable variety of quartz. Its golden-brown crystals with inclusions of rutile, which create the effect of star rays scattering in all directions, are especially beautiful. In nature, giant smoky quartz crystals weighing up to several tons are sometimes found. Rauchtopaz is not as popular as amethyst and is unlikely to be painted or irradiated en masse. The only way to protect yourself here is not to buy rauchtopaz from Brazil and the USA. There is still enough of it in the CIS. By the way, rauchtopaz is the national stone of Scotland; it was highly respected by the Druids. Morion – black and dark brown almost opaque quartz (silicon oxide), only thin sections of the morion are visible. There is no synthetic morion yet (its natural reserves are sufficient). Morion entering the Russian market, unfortunately, in most cases is artificially irradiated. Fortunately, unlike citrine, there is a technique that can reveal a refined stone. Check with the seller about the origin of the stone: if this is the USA (Arkansas, New Mexico), then you can turn around and leave. The thing is that deposits of transparent quartz with the makings of a morion color in the crystal lattice were discovered in Arkansas, which for some reason did not appear over a very long period (hundreds of millions of years), which suggests that the morion becomes black not from the natural radiation of stars, but from a radiation source in the rock. This quartz is irradiated and sold as morion. The distinctive features of irradiated morion (besides being cheap) are the following (most likely, this may be true for artificially irradiated smoky quartz): Irradiated morion crystals are white or gray at the base (or close to the parent rock if it is a druse). If, along with this sign, there is a strong shine on the surface of the crystals, and they are not completely translucent, then this is definitely irradiated transparent quartz. Natural morion may also not be transparent and be glossy (usually partially), but it is black (dark brown) “from head to toe.” In the jewelry industry, annealed morions are used for cutting, which, during the annealing process, acquire a wine-yellow and yellow color and turn into citrines. Fluorite is a transparent or translucent stone with a glassy luster, of various colors: colorless, blue, pink, yellow, green, violet (almost black). Unevenness and varying intensity of color are often noted, and banded and spotted varieties are found. Pure fluorite is colorless and water-transparent, with a glassy luster, but it is usually green, violet, yellow and other colors, which are caused by impurities or may be the result of radioactive effects (yellow color). Dark purple fluorites contain increased amounts of strontium, and green varieties contain some samarium. Rare earth elements and some heavy metals, as well as excess calcium ions, give it different colors. True to its name, fluorite fluoresces strongly (purple under ultraviolet light), it is too soft for a gemstone, only 4 on the Mohs scale, and therefore will always have abrasions or scratches on the edges. So if you suspect that the fluorite is colored, scratch it with a piece of glass (it won’t be scratched with a paper clip). By weight, fluorite seems heavy because it is a fairly dense mineral. Its colorless crystals are a material for the manufacture of high-quality lenses. However, it is difficult to find deposits of optical fluorite, and therefore now it, like quartz, is synthesized. But this is done by large companies that have their own laboratories, so you don’t have to be afraid of synthesized transparent fluorite, but it’s better to buy it in druses or crystals (but they are inconspicuous and can be expensive). Large deposits of fluorites have been discovered in Mongolia. In Russia, this mineral is mined in the Chita region (Kalanguy) and in Primorye (Dalnegorsk). There is also inexpensive green fluorite on the market from China. It is not surprising that deep green varieties of fluorite have long been sold as emeralds, red, crimson and pink as rubies, yellow and orange as topazes, blue-violet as sapphires, and lilac and purple as amethysts. Only a specialist can guess that crystals that are so different in appearance are essentially the same mineral. Thus, in the Special Storeroom of the Hermitage there is a bowl, a cup and a jug that belonged to Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich, which were considered to be carved from purple “amethyst” quartz, but turned out to be fluorite. Of all the natural emerald-like stones, only fluorite poses a problem. This mineral can only pass for a low-quality emerald, but when examined under a magnifying glass, you can often notice the famous “three stages” inclusions characteristic of Colombian stones. It also appears red under a color filter, as do most emeralds, natural and synthetic. However, checking with a refractometer will put everything in its place. The origin of the name fluorite comes from the Latin fluor, which translates as “flow”. However, this is far from the only option for interpreting the translation; the most common and well-known ones include: fluorescent emerald, false emerald, Transvaal or South American emeralds. How and where is it formed Deposits of this crystal tend to form in veins with hydrothermal formations of ore origin, including limestone or dolomite. These are stones that have a special shine of glass surfaces, mostly transparent or translucent minerals, they are characterized by an unusually wide range of colors. Uneven coloring of this gem is quite common and appears in the form of stripes or spotted inclusions. The color of fluorite is influenced by quite a lot of factors and impurities, and depending on their influences, one or another result is obtained. We should not forget about such an extraordinary property of the mineral as luminescence, which gives it a glow under ultraviolet rays or under the influence of heat. Physicochemical characteristics Chemical formula – CaF₂ Shine – glass Color – White or colorless, violet, blue, blue-green, yellow, brown-yellow or red Transparency – transparent, semi-transparent Hardness – 4 on the Mohs scale Density – 3,18 g / cm3 Kink – stepped Varieties Antozonite – dark purple fluorite Chlorophane – green fluorite Ratovkit – an earthy or fine-grained variety of fluorite Yttrofluorite — up to 15-18% of calcium is replaced by yttrium. Fluorite is characterized by zoning of color. The color is associated with impurities of rare earth elements, as well as chlorine, iron, uranium, and thorium. It can also be caused by defects in the crystal structure, which reacts very subtly to radioactive irradiation and heating. It can be zonally colored. Pure fluorite is colorless and water-transparent, with a glassy luster, but it is usually green, violet, yellow and other colors, which are caused by impurities or may be the result of radioactive effects (yellow color). Dark purple fluorites contain increased amounts of strontium, and green varieties contain some samarium. Rare earth elements and some heavy metals, as well as excess calcium ions, give it different colors. Place of Birth The most preferred environment for the formation of fluorites is hydrothermal zones. The subsoil of Germany, Greenland, Italy, Great Britain, Norway, Canada, and Tajikistan has similar riches. Russia, Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan have fairly large deposits of fluorite. Application and Use In ancient times, fluorite was used as a soft ornamental stone. Bowls, vases and other vessels were made from it. Currently, balls, various souvenirs and decorations are made from fluorite. In the metallurgical industry, fluorite is used quite intensively as a flux (flux), with its help the formation of easily melting slags. Specialists in the chemical industry, using a certain processing technology, obtain from this mineral artificial cryolite and fluorine, which are used in the production of aluminum using the electrochemical method. Ceramic manufacturers use minerals to make various types of mixtures called glazes or enamel. Crystals with transparent properties are excellent for the production of lenses, which are subsequently used in optics. However, minerals suitable for such processing are not often found in nature. How to distinguish real from fake Unprocessed fluorite is usually easy to identify by its crystal shape, octahedral cleavage, dull glassy luster, and low hardness (easily scratched by a needle). Perhaps the low hardness of fluorite is one of the main parameters for determining the naturalness of a stone. Fluorite is similar in color to many gems, incl. to amethyst, apatite, barite, but it differs from the first two in low hardness, and from barite in lower density. Medicinal properties Fluorite is most often used as a remedy for headaches. It is believed that this mineral has a positive effect on the cardiovascular system and brain, and helps with serious diseases such as epilepsy and multiple sclerosis. Some lithotherapists suggest that fluorite alleviates the condition of weather-dependent people, tones the nervous system, relieves the negative consequences of stressful situations, normalizes sleep, relieves insomnia and nightmares. Balls made of fluorite are used for restorative and tonic massage of the face and body. Magical properties In magical practice, fluorite is one of the most commonly used stones. In India, it is believed that this stone has almost the most powerful magical properties. He is revered and feared. Since ancient times, magicians and mediums have used balls made of fluorite for spiritualistic séances and fortune telling. Many practicing magicians use fluorite for meditation. Amulets made from this stone protect the owner from the negative influence of others. They are recommended to be worn by people who are overly excitable to achieve harmony with the world around them. Fluorite bracelets help women cope with emotions, protect them from hysterical states and attract good luck in love. Talismans and amulets Fluorite is a talisman for scientists, creative people, practicing magicians and mediums. A ring with fluorite can serve as a talisman. It significantly increases the mental and analytical abilities of its owner. A small keychain with a rough stone is a talisman that brings success in your personal life. Additional Information Energy – projective Yang (releases, activates energy) Element – Earth, Water, Ether (Space) Horoscope — not found Effect on chakras – affects the chakras universally and depending on the color, but has a particularly beneficial effect on the third eye and the crown chakra. Planets – not found Connection with names – Anastasia, Tamara History and legends In ancient times, it was believed that this stone heals all diseases, disinfects space, corrects problems with the nervous system, improves the spine and is a barrier to all demonic influences. Best regards, Katerina (Napoleonka)