Comparative Study on Gemological and Mineralogical Characteristics and Coloration Mechanism of Four Color Types of Fluorite

Abstract

Fluorite has been attracting the attention of gemstone mineralogists because of its rich color and excellent fluorescence properties. This paper studied fluorite with three color types (blue, green, and white) and five blue-purple fluorites with an alexandrite effect. Through the study of their structure, composition, and spectral characteristics, the gemological and mineralogical characteristics and coloration mechanisms of different color types of fluorites are compared and analyzed. The results show that the color of fluorite is caused by multiple color centers. Blue fluorite is associated with Y3+-F− color center, while green fluorite is associated with a Y3+-Ce2+-F− color center and Sm2+ color center, and white fluorite contains vacancy color center. The color of white fluorite is a mixture of yellow tones produced in visible light and blue fluorescence under UV light. Blue-purple color is caused by the colloid calcium color center and 2F− color center, and its changing from blue-purple to red-purplish (alexandrite effect) are due to colloidal calcium nanoparticles caused by radioactive element Th.