FLUORITE

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FLUORITE IS A CALCIUM FLUORIDE and has the most varied color range of all minerals; some specimens can display more than one color. Crystal formations occur as cubes and sometimes as octahedrons and are found worldwide. Some of the finest examples come from Canada, England, and Switzerland.

Fluorite has been used since the ancient Egyptians and Chinese both used the stone heavily in carvings. But a series of mines called the Blue John Mines in Derbyshire, England, would yield some of the most beautiful fluorite on Earth. Banded with purple, green, yellow, and white, the aptly named Blue John fluorite was highly prized during Roman times and was most often crafted into drinking goblets and jewelry. In the 1920s, fluorite was used to create the opalescent glass made famous by Louis Comfort Tiffany and his Art Nouveau creations. Fluorite is also known for its fluorescence—when exposed to ultraviolet light, the stone gives off light. It was the first mineral discovered to do so and the characteristic adds to its beauty and appeal. In fact, the word fluorescence is derived from flourite.

Metaphysical beliefs hold that fluorite purges negative energies and thoughts and aids in focusing and can even balance brain chemistry. It is associated with the month of February and is linked to both Pisces and Capricorn.