Fluorite, also called fluorspar, is a mineral that is composed of calcium and fluorine. Pure fluorite is colorless. Fluorite is known as the most colorful mineral in the world. Each colored fluorite has its own name. The most common colors for fluorite come in purple, blue, yellow, or green (King, Fluorite.) What makes fluorite colorful depends on what elements are substituting calcium in the crystalline structure. Fluorite is an interesting mineral because of its wide range of uses. People use some form fluorite everyday. In industry, fluorite is used as a flux for smelting (University of Minnesota.) The clearest form of fluorite can be used to make lenses. Most commonly used for lenses in microscopes. Each colored fluorite has its own name.
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The United States relies heavily of mining for its economy. Fluorite is most commonly found in the upper midwest along the upper part of the Mississippi river (Illinois, fluorite). This is also where many of the fluorite mines are located. Unfortunately the richest fluorite mines have been mined out. Many of the mines in Illinois have been mined out but it still continues to produce a lot of fluorite. Once a mine is out of fluorite, the mine is finished and must …show more content…
The Illinois-Kentucky Fluorspar Mining District has been mining since the early 19th century (University of Minnesota.) In Illinois fluorite was mined in Hardin and Pope Counties. In 1890 the Fairview Mining Company (located in Hardin county) started to mine fluorite. Before the mining company opened up the early people in Illinois had to mine by digging shallow pits. At first all they would collect was the galena to use for lead and toss the fluorite out (Illinois, fluorite.) In the 1900s fluorite became very popular for all kinds of industrial and commercial uses. Now a days the miners have to mine up to 1,300 feet into the ground to collect fluorite. There were some open mines where fluorite could be found on the ground. Illinois produced 50% of the country’s fluorite (Reinertsen,
The United States relies heavily of mining for its economy. Fluorite is most commonly found in the upper midwest along the upper part of the Mississippi river (Illinois, fluorite). This is also where many of the fluorite mines are located. Unfortunately the richest fluorite mines have been mined out. Many of the mines in Illinois have been mined out but it still continues to produce a lot of fluorite. Once a mine is out of fluorite, the mine is finished and must …show more content…
The Illinois-Kentucky Fluorspar Mining District has been mining since the early 19th century (University of Minnesota.) In Illinois fluorite was mined in Hardin and Pope Counties. In 1890 the Fairview Mining Company (located in Hardin county) started to mine fluorite. Before the mining company opened up the early people in Illinois had to mine by digging shallow pits. At first all they would collect was the galena to use for lead and toss the fluorite out (Illinois, fluorite.) In the 1900s fluorite became very popular for all kinds of industrial and commercial uses. Now a days the miners have to mine up to 1,300 feet into the ground to collect fluorite. There were some open mines where fluorite could be found on the ground. Illinois produced 50% of the country’s fluorite (Reinertsen,