Fluorite (angular, purple-green, vitreous luster, cracks, translucent, hard, heavy and easily broken)
[Naming]
[Source]
Shen Nong’s Herbal Classic – Superior Class
[Common Usage Level]
D
[Botanical Origin]
Fluorite is a natural mineral containing calcium fluoride.
[Characteristics]
It exists as irregular lumps. The overall color is purple, purple-green, or light green, with uneven color depth. It is translucent to transparent, with a vitreous luster. The surface often has cracks. It is hard, heavy, and easily broken, with an irregular fracture. It has no odor and a bland taste. It is brittle, with a hardness of 4 and a specific gravity of 3~3.25. After crushing, it remains as small crystal pieces. The streak is white, transparent, or slightly transparent. It is insoluble in water, soluble in concentrated sulfuric acid, and releases hydrogen fluoride. Its reaction with hydrochloric acid and nitric acid is very weak.
Calcined Fluorite: Colorless, flaky small crystals, transparent, with a vitreous luster, or the surface appears purplish-black, occasionally mixed with uncalcined parts, which have light green or light red particles. It has a slight acetic acid odor.
[Processing]
1. Raw Fluorite 2. Calcined Fluorite
[Identification]
《Annotations to the Materia Medica Classic》: “The larger ones are better.” 《Illustrated Materia Medica》: “The larger ones are better… Tao Hongjing considers those produced in Xin’an to be the best”, “The clear and bright ones are superior”. 《Prescriptions for Universal Relief》: “For Fluorite, Quartz, <a href='https://whatsintcm.com/dt_articles/硃砂/’>Cinnabar, Realgar, Sulfur, etc., those that are bright and have clear and fresh textures are the best.” 《Collection of Medical Prescriptions》: “For Fluorite, Quartz, Cinnabar, Realgar, Sulfur, etc., those that are bright and have clear and fresh textures are the best; otherwise, they will cause the body to become dry, feverish, and cause dry mouth, leading to death.”
Transparent, purple in color, free of mud, sand, stones, and hard in texture are considered superior.
[Identification Terminology]
External color: Refers to colored impurities from external sources, caused by air bubbles and other inclusions, which are not related to the composition and structure of the mineral body, such as Fluorite.
[Category]
Minerals