Skip to content
A to Z
On this page

UnderstandWhat it is, what people ask, how far this page goes

Natural inorganic gem materials · Mineral species · Natural identity; treatment status unknown

Green Fluorite

Green Fluorite, where "green" is only a colour description rather than a separate variety; the GB/T basic name is still Fluorite, and a homophone miswriting of the name seen in Chinese has no standard basis. This page compares how the major standards and institutions name it, what must be disclosed when selling it, whether it can be worn every day, how it is treated and identified, and which source each conclusion comes from.

Price, rarity and origin are outside the scope of this wiki.

Care and wear

What this page can answer

This page covers

What we cannot conclude

  • Whether one particular bead is natural, treated or synthetic — only a laboratory report can settle that.
  • Geographic origin, unless an origin report accompanies the item.
  • Price, rarity or investment value: this wiki covers naming and disclosure only.

Material research: formation, causes and history

What authoritative sources say about how this material forms, what causes its colour and optical effects, where its name comes from and how people have used it. Each statement carries an evidence grade and its sources; it describes the material in general, not any specific piece.

How it forms

Green fluorite is simply fluorite (CaF2) in its green form; it is neither a separate material nor a distinct mineral species, and it originates in the same way as its parent. Fluorite is cubic calcium fluoride, occurring as an accessory phase in granite, granite pegmatite and syenite, near fumaroles, and in carbonatites and alkaline intrusive bodies. Where it is economically worked it forms hydrothermal veins created across low to high temperatures plus strata-bound deposits, and it can act as a cement within sandstones. Fluorite takes many colours - colourless, white, purple, blue, yellow, green, orange, red, pink and brown - and zoning is common; green is only one of its possible hues, so green fluorite shares the same formation story as any other coloured fluorite.

Scope: Applies to explaining the origin, composition and occurrence of green fluorite as a green colour description of fluorite; its origin is cited from the parent material fluorite, general facts about fluorite are not presented as facts unique to green fluorite, and synthetic or imitation materials are not covered.

Sources Handbook of Mineralogy

Where it forms

Occurs as an accessory phase in granite, granite pegmatite and syenite

Sources Handbook of Mineralogy

In the vicinity of fumaroles

Sources Handbook of Mineralogy

In carbonatites and alkaline intrusives

Sources Handbook of Mineralogy

Hydrothermal veins formed across low to high temperatures, together with strata-bound deposits; also a cement within sandstones

Sources Handbook of Mineralogy

How it forms, step by step

  1. Fluorine-bearing fluids act in magmatic–hydrothermal systems: fluorite (CaF2) precipitates in granite, pegmatite, syenite, carbonatite and alkaline intrusives, or around fumaroles.

    Sources Handbook of Mineralogy
  2. Fluorite precipitates and becomes concentrated as economically worked material within hydrothermal veins that formed across low to high temperatures and in strata-bound deposits.

    Sources Handbook of Mineralogy
  3. Fluorite may also occur as a cement in sandstones.

    Sources Handbook of Mineralogy
  4. During crystallization fluorite may take on many colours and commonly forms colour zoning; green fluorite is simply the green-coloured form, sharing the same origin as other colours.

    Sources Handbook of Mineralogy

Link to appearance

Fluorite may be colourless, white, purple, blue, green, yellow or orange, as well as red, pink, brown or bluish black, and is commonly zoned, with a vitreous luster (dull when massive). It can fluoresce blue, violet, green, yellow or red under UV, and may be phosphorescent, thermoluminescent or triboluminescent. Green fluorite's appearance is simply one instance of fluorite's green colour.

Sources Handbook of Mineralogy

Timescale

The source states no absolute geological timescale for fluorite (including green fluorite) formation.

Sources Handbook of Mineralogy

Related base materials

  • Fluorite (CaF2): colour-variety-of | Green fluorite is a colour description of fluorite (CaF2) in green, not an independent material; its genesis is that of fluorite.

Supporting findings

Fluorite is an accessory phase in granite, granite pegmatite and syenite, near fumaroles, and in carbonatites and alkaline intrusive bodies; where it is economically worked it forms hydrothermal veins created across low to high temperatures, together with strata-bound deposits, and it can also serve as a cement within sandstones.

Evidence grade B

Scope: Describes the parent fluorite's occurrence and formation; these are fluorite-level facts, not presented as unique to green fluorite.

Sources Handbook of Mineralogy

Fluorite typically occurs alongside minerals such as quartz, calcite, dolomite, barite, celestine, and sulfides, as well as cassiterite, topaz, wolframite, scheelite and apatite.

Evidence grade B

Scope: Describes common fluorite associations; not every locality contains all of these minerals.

Sources Handbook of Mineralogy

Recorded localities

Authoritative sources list the localities below; the list is not exhaustive.

Locality sketch mapLand outlines only; the map does not depict any national or regional boundary. Dots mark approximate positions. Base map: Natural Earth (public domain).

Asia

Europe

North America

These are localities recorded by authoritative sources, not an origin finding for any individual piece. The CIBJO Gemstone Book (2022, §4.2.3) says a place of origin names where a gem was mined or harvested, is a matter of opinion, does not imply a level of quality, and that cutting, processing or exporting centres must not be used to imply origin. See how far testing can go on this page, the origin determination guide and the overview of recorded localities.

Other research findings

Green fluorite is the green-coloured form of fluorite (CaF2) and is not an independent material or mineral species; its formation is that of its parent, fluorite.

Evidence grade B

Scope: Defines the green-fluorite-to-fluorite colour-description-to-parent relationship; it does not treat a colour name as an independent species.

Sources Handbook of Mineralogy

Fluorite's colour can be colourless, white, purple, blue, yellow, green, orange, red, pink or brown, or bluish black, and zoning is common; green is just one among fluorite's many hues.

Evidence grade B

Scope: Describes fluorite's colour range and zoning; it does not infer the colour mechanism of any colour.

Sources Handbook of Mineralogy

Fluorite can fluoresce blue, violet, green, yellow or red under UV, and may be phosphorescent, thermoluminescent or triboluminescent.

Evidence grade B

Scope: Describes fluorite's fluorescence and luminescence; the source gives no attribution of activating elements.

Sources Handbook of Mineralogy

Limits of this research

  • Research status: Formation, occurrence or other material-specific findings found in authoritative sources
  • The source states no absolute geological timescale for fluorite (including green fluorite) formation.
  • The colour mechanisms of fluorite's various colours (e.g. colour centres or impurity ions) are not explicitly attributed by this source, so no chromophore attribution is made.
  • This record is a colour description of fluorite (green fluorite); its formation cites the parent fluorite, and fluorite-level facts are not presented as unique to green fluorite.

Methodology

Evidence grades

A
Standards bodies, government geological surveys, peer-reviewed research and museum records
B
Institutional educational material
C
Specialist databases or cautious readings

A statement is never graded above its strongest source.

This section is LumaLark's own factual restatement of public authoritative sources, credited item by item; it contains no verbatim excerpts, images or third-party logos.

DecideListing name, disclosure, care and treatments

Suggested listing name
Green Fluorite

GB/T 16552—2017 5.1.1 c)

Construction or treatment status

Natural identity; treatment status unknown

Treatments recorded for this material: Heated / Heat-treated (via parent material), Filled / Fracture-filled (via parent material), Coated (via parent material), Irradiated (via parent material)

Related:Disclosure and cautions

This page cannot answer

Natural? · Origin · Price

A lab report settles these; this wiki covers naming and disclosure.

Related:What this page can answer

Answer at a glance

The Chinese standard lists Green Fluorite under a different Chinese name from its common trade name (GB/T 16552—2017 Table A.2); use "Green Fluorite" for listings.

What this means for you

Before buying, check the recommended listing name "Green Fluorite" and any disclosed treatments on this page, and ask the seller for a grading report if in doubt.

Known uncertainty

Last reviewed
2026-09-01

Care and wear

Normal care for every gemstone (CIBJO Gemstone Book §6.1), in brief:

  • Handle it gently.
  • Store pieces apart when not worn, so they cannot scratch each other.
  • Clean with warm soapy water and a soft brush.
  • Use ultrasonic cleaners only with caution.

The §6.1 wording and the full list of §6.2 special-care letters cited on this page are on the general gem care page.

Care

care (cleaning)2 sources compared

Green Fluorite — care (cleaning): no ultrasonic cleaning

CIBJO Gemstone Book 2022

CIBJO Gemstone Book §6.2:special-care code j

Treatment state
any treatment state
Source & check 2026-10-06
Source
Fact checked on
2026-10-06

Green Fluorite — care (cleaning): GIA places fluorite among the heat- and temperature-sensitive gems that should be kept out of ultrasonic cleaners.

GIA 4Cs blog (2015)

Treatment state
any treatment state
Source & check 2026-10-06
Source
Fact checked on
2026-10-06

Green Fluorite — care (wear): low hardness, so it scratches easily; wear with care; cleaves or fractures easily or is brittle (e.g. rubbed facet edges); wear with care.

CIBJO Gemstone Book 2022

CIBJO Gemstone Book §6.2:special-care code a, special-care code b

Treatment state
any treatment state
Source & check 2026-10-06
Source
Fact checked on
2026-10-06

Each row's “Source & check” expands to the full source; the date beside it is the fact check date.

Common care questions and matching entries

Each question links to the matching entries on this page; whether they answer it fully, go by the entry wording.

Treatments and identification leads

One row per treatment, with three standards side by side: how often it occurs and how stable it is (CIBJO), its category in GB/T 16552—2017 Table B.1 (this site's paraphrase) and how the JJA/AGL 2025 table lists it. Each CIBJO value links to its entry under “Testing and market”, where the wording and source are given in full.

This table scrolls sideways on narrow screens.

TreatmentMarket frequency (CIBJO)Stability (CIBJO)GB/T 16552 categoryJJA/AGL listingIdentification leads
Heating——Optimization——
Filling——Graded — see §5.4.1, Table 1——
Coating——Treatment——
Irradiation——Treatment——

“—” means the cited source gives no value for that item, not “none”. Source: GB/T 16552—2017 Table B.1 (row for Fluorite)

Whether a treatment has to show in the name differs between the two rule sets (this site’s paraphrase):

  • GB/T 16552—2017: a method classed as treatment has to be stated in the name itself — the method put before the name, or added in brackets after it; a method classed as optimization does not need to appear in the name, though one marked “Optimization (annotation required)” still has to be noted in the quality documents. Source: §5.4.2.1 a), b); §5.4.2.2 a)
  • CIBJO Gemstone Book 2022: no longer splits treatments into ones that need specific disclosure and ones that need only general disclosure: every treatment is to be disclosed, and the seller tells the buyer which treatment was used and what special care it calls for. Source: §4.2.5 Note 2, §4.2.5.1, pp.14–15

What this table covers

What this page can give

  • Registered treatments, their stability and how often they occur (see the table above)
  • Identification leads for each treatment, for use when sending a stone for testing

VerifyNames, standards, technical facts, clauses and sources

Names

The name register below lists one name for Green Fluorite in a non-Latin script: 1 with no restriction recorded on use as a name.

Names in four languagesThe four-language names for Green Fluorite cover Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, English (Green Fluorite) and Japanese; the entry's own Japanese name is the same, but the GSJ (Japan) wording is not yet verified by this site. Chinese standard nameThe Chinese formal name is fluorite, per GB/T 16552—2017 Table A.2. Trade and mineralogical namesThe common market name is green fluorite. Recommended listing nameThe suggested listing name is green fluorite (fluorite, green). Trade and mineralogical namesThe mineralogical name is Green fluorite (CaF2). Institution usageAmong GIA, FTC, CIBJO and Gem-A, the FTC and CIBJO texts have no wording for Green Fluorite (checked); GIA and Gem-A are not yet checked; bodies without a record show the entry's own English name, which does not represent their position. Trade and mineralogical namesA trade name/synonym written with a homophone character is not formally recorded and needs to be checked as a possible miswriting; in the name register it is a market name, matched only once its conditions are confirmed.

Name register

Every name recorded for this entry, with how it is classified, whether it may be matched to this entry automatically, whether it may be used as a product name, and the clause it rests on.

This table scrolls sideways on narrow screens.

NameTypeMatchingUse as a nameBasis
no restriction recorded (1)
绿莹石Simplified Chinesemarket namematched only once the condition is confirmedno restriction recordededitorial ruling (no clause cited)

How each authority words this name: see Names › Authority wording.

Authority wording

GIA, FTC, CIBJO, Gem-A
Green Fluorite (no wording for this name in the FTC, CIBJO text on file; GIA, Gem-A unchecked — bodies without a recorded wording show the entry's own English name)
GSJ (Japan) formal name
グリーンフローライト/緑色蛍石 (not yet checked for this body — the entry's own Japanese name is shown)
Chinese formal name
萤石 (GB/T 16552—2017 Table A.2)
Mineralogical name
Green fluorite (CaF2)

Four-language names

简体中文
绿萤石
繁體中文
綠螢石
English
Green Fluorite
日本語
グリーンフローライト/緑色蛍石

See also: Misleading and prohibited trade names · Supplementary name index

Classification

Origin
Natural materials
Material domain
Natural inorganic gem materials
Browsing family
Halide minerals
Identity tier
Mineral species
Mineral chemical class
Halides
Construction or treatment status
Natural identity; treatment status unknown

Treatments listed by standards

Under the Fluorite row of GB/T 16552—2017 Annex B, Table B.1, Green Fluorite has: heat treatment, an enhancement; filling, with its category defined by grade and each grade defined on the Gem treatments page; coating, a treatment; and irradiation, a treatment. The full row, with the effect column, is on the Fluorite entry; the notes to Table B.1 are on the Gem treatments page.

GB/T 16552-2017, Annex B, Table B.1

Under the “Fluorite” row of Table B.1: Heating Optimization; Filling Graded — see §5.4.1, Table 1; Coating Treatment; Irradiation Treatment. The full row, with the effect column, is on the Fluorite page.

What Table B.1 is, and how the “see 5.4.1” grades are defined: see the GB/T 16552: optimization vs treatment page.

What it is and how it's identified

The material facts for Green Fluorite are recorded in GB/T 16553—2017 for fluorite (the whole mineral species), not measured for Green Fluorite alone. For fluorite (the whole mineral species): structure crystalline or crystalline aggregate, cubic system; Mohs hardness 4; four perfect cleavages; density 3–3.25 g/cm³, with limits derived from the clause value 3.18 and a tolerance of +0.07/−0.18; optical character isotropic, often an isotropic aggregate; refractive index 1.433–1.435, with limits derived from the clause value 1.434 and a tolerance of ±0.001; birefringence none; untreated, pleochroism none and lustre vitreous to subvitreous; among optical effects, colour change may be seen. Another source records, for the untreated state, perfect cleavage and brittle tenacity; this site notes that the cited clause covers the whole fluorite species, of which Green Fluorite is only one variety.

Registered material facts

Each row carries its own source and check date and can be cited on its own; “—” means the cited source gives no value, not “none”.

Chemical composition, luminescence, UV-visible spectrum, infrared spectrum, magnification: these whole-class features are given in the cited clause for fluorite (the whole mineral species), so they are not repeated on the Green Fluorite page; see the material facts on the Fluorite entry.

Items below that name the class they cover give the cited clause’s value for that whole class, not a measurement of Green Fluorite (how to read class-level values).

Structure

Green Fluorite — structure (overall): crystalline, or else a crystalline aggregate

GB/T 16553—2017

Does this standard apply
applies to this entry
What this covers
fluorite (the whole mineral species)
Source & check 2026-09-26
Source
  • GB/T 16553—2017 Gems — Testing (GB/T): §5.2.22 (locator checked 2026-09-26)
Fact checked on
2026-09-26

Green Fluorite — structure (crystal system): cubic

GB/T 16553—2017

Does this standard apply
applies to this entry
What this covers
fluorite (the whole mineral species)
Source & check 2026-09-26
Source
  • GB/T 16553—2017 Gems — Testing (GB/T): §5.2.22 (locator checked 2026-09-26)
Fact checked on
2026-09-26

Green Fluorite — structure (crystal habit): Cubes, octahedra, rhombic dodecahedra and their combinations are usual; granular or massive aggregates also occur.

GB/T 16553—2017

Does this standard apply
applies to this entry
What this covers
fluorite (the whole mineral species)
Source & check 2026-09-26
Source
  • GB/T 16553—2017 Gems — Testing (GB/T): §5.2.22 (locator checked 2026-09-26)
Fact checked on
2026-09-26

Durability

Mohs hardness2 sources compared

12345678910GB/T 16553—20174Handbook of Mineralogy4References (diamond = value, bar = range; below)

Reference points on this site: Talc 1–3, Fluorite 4, Apatite 5–5.5, Orthoclase 6–6.5, Topaz 8, Diamond 10 (Source: GB/T 16553—2017); Gypsum 1.5–2, Calcite 3, Quartz 7 (Source: Handbook of Mineralogy); Corundum 9 (Source: GIA Gem Encyclopedia (care guide))

Mohs hardnessSource: GB/T 16553—2017 · Handbook of Mineralogy

Green Fluorite — Mohs hardness: 4

GB/T 16553—2017

Does this standard apply
applies to this entry
What this covers
fluorite (the whole mineral species)
Source & check 2026-09-26
Source
  • GB/T 16553—2017 Gems — Testing (GB/T): §5.2.22 (locator checked 2026-09-26)
Fact checked on
2026-09-26

Green Fluorite — Mohs hardness: 4

Handbook of Mineralogy

Qualification

The clause we cite covers the whole species. This entry is only one variety of it.

Source & check 2026-09-20
Source
Fact checked on
2026-09-20

Green Fluorite — cleavage: perfect in four directions

GB/T 16553—2017

Does this standard apply
applies to this entry
What this covers
fluorite (the whole mineral species)
Source & check 2026-09-26
Source
  • GB/T 16553—2017 Gems — Testing (GB/T): §5.2.22 (locator checked 2026-09-26)
Fact checked on
2026-09-26

Green Fluorite — toughness: cleavage perfect; tenacity brittle

Handbook of Mineralogy

Treatment state
untreated
Qualification

The clause we cite covers the whole species. This entry is only one variety of it.

Source & check 2026-09-20
Source
Fact checked on
2026-09-20

Physical properties

Green Fluorite — density: 3–3.25 g/cm³

GB/T 16553—2017

0.51.52.53.54.55.56.57.53–3.25
Specific gravitySource: GB/T 16553—2017
Does this standard apply
applies to this entry
What this covers
fluorite (the whole mineral species)
Qualification

The clause we cite gives 3.18, with a stated tolerance of +0.07 / -0.18. The range shown here is worked out from that.

Source & check 2026-09-26
Source
  • GB/T 16553—2017 Gems — Testing (GB/T): §5.2.22 (locator checked 2026-09-26)
Fact checked on
2026-09-26

Optical

Optical effects on record: colour change

Green Fluorite — optic character: isotropic, usually as an isotropic aggregate

GB/T 16553—2017

Does this standard apply
applies to this entry
What this covers
fluorite (the whole mineral species)
Source & check 2026-09-26
Source
  • GB/T 16553—2017 Gems — Testing (GB/T): §5.2.22 (locator checked 2026-09-26)
Fact checked on
2026-09-26

Green Fluorite — refractive index: 1.433–1.435

GB/T 16553—2017

1.31.72.12.52.93.31.433–1.435
Refractive indexSource: GB/T 16553—2017
Does this standard apply
applies to this entry
What this covers
fluorite (the whole mineral species)
Qualification

The clause we cite gives 1.434, with a stated tolerance of ±0.001. The range shown here is worked out from that.

Source & check 2026-09-26
Source
  • GB/T 16553—2017 Gems — Testing (GB/T): §5.2.22 (locator checked 2026-09-26)
Fact checked on
2026-09-26

Green Fluorite — birefringence: none

GB/T 16553—2017

Does this standard apply
applies to this entry
What this covers
fluorite (the whole mineral species)
Source & check 2026-09-26
Source
  • GB/T 16553—2017 Gems — Testing (GB/T): §5.2.22 (locator checked 2026-09-26)
Fact checked on
2026-09-26

Green Fluorite — pleochroism: none

GB/T 16553—2017

Treatment state
untreated
Does this standard apply
applies to this entry
What this covers
fluorite (the whole mineral species)
Source & check 2026-09-26
Source
  • GB/T 16553—2017 Gems — Testing (GB/T): §5.2.22 (locator checked 2026-09-26)
Fact checked on
2026-09-26

Green Fluorite — optical effect (colour change): seen

GB/T 16553—2017

Does this standard apply
applies to this entry
What this covers
fluorite (the whole mineral species)
Source & check 2026-09-26
Source
  • GB/T 16553—2017 Gems — Testing (GB/T): §5.2.22 (locator checked 2026-09-26)
Fact checked on
2026-09-26
CIBJO definitions
colour change

Quality factors

Green Fluorite — quality factor (lustre): vitreous to subvitreous

GB/T 16553—2017

Treatment state
untreated
Does this standard apply
applies to this entry
What this covers
fluorite (the whole mineral species)
Source & check 2026-09-26
Source
  • GB/T 16553—2017 Gems — Testing (GB/T): §5.2.22 (locator checked 2026-09-26)
Fact checked on
2026-09-26

Each row's “Source & check” expands to the full source; the date beside it is the fact check date.

1.451.51.552.62.83Refractive indexSpecific gravity12345Green Fluorite

This material (RI / SG midpoints): 1.434 / 3.12; Closest values: 1Lapis Lazuli 1.5 / 2.75, 2Lepidolite 1.55 / 2.8, 3Serpentine 1.532 / 2.62, 4Albite 1.54 / 2.65, 5Brucite 1.57 / 2.89

Show the full chart (330 registered materials)1.41.51.61.71.81.922.12.22.32.41234567Refractive indexSpecific gravity12345Green Fluorite

Outside the full chart's range, drawn as triangles at the edge (RI / SG midpoints): Hematite 3.045/5.12, Synthetic Rutile 2.76/4.26, Rutile 2.753/4.23, Synthetic Moissanite 2.67/3.22

Refractive index × specific gravity (all registered materials)Each dot is one material's registered refractive index and specific gravity (range midpoints, not measurements); gold = this material, dark = the nearest few (picked on this site by distance in RI ÷ 0.02 and SG ÷ 0.1, leaving out near-identical varieties of the same species)Source: each material's registered refractive index and specific gravity facts (GB/T 16553 and others; sources on each entry)

Testing and market

The CIBJO laboratory protocol covers Green Fluorite under “Fluorite” (§6.1.35): see identification on the Fluorite entry; the required tests are listed on the CIBJO laboratory protocol table for Fluorite.

How far testing can go

Each row's “Source & check” expands to the full source; the date beside it is the fact check date.

Evidence and sources

Authority basis and clause sources

GB/T 16552—2017
Not listed the name does not occur anywhere in the text; scope: Chapter 1 “Scope” · Source
GB/T 16552—2017
Naming rule 5.1.1 c) · Source
CIBJO Gemmological Laboratories Book 2024
Not listed no occurrence of “Green Fluorite” in chapter 7; scope set by §7.1.1 “Gemstone” definition (Gemstones encompass) · Source

Sources

Further reading

Related entries and topic cluster

Parent entry and related pages on this site. Rows marked “Planned” are suggested new content and have no link yet.

This table scrolls sideways on narrow screens.

PageContentStatus
Browsing familyHalide mineralsLive
Treatments recorded for this materialHeated / Heat-treated (via parent material), Filled / Fracture-filled (via parent material), Coated (via parent material), Irradiated (via parent material)Live
Related articlesTo be added (placeholder)Planned

Who maintains this page

The material facts in the Green Fluorite entry are maintained by the LumaLark wiki and matched one by one to the standard clauses or institutional sources they cite: every fact carries its source (with a clause or page locator) and a check date, so it can be traced back to the original. The entry exists so that buyers and sellers can check naming, disclosure and material facts item by item.

Facts editor
Ralph
Reviewer
June
How facts are checked
Each fact is matched to the clause it cites; facts checked between 2026-09-20 and 2026-10-06
Last revised
2026-10-12
Purpose
Lets buyers and sellers check naming, disclosure and material facts clause by clause.

Spotted an error? Report it on the forum