Fluoborite
A valid IMA mineral species - grandfathered
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About Fluoborite
Formula:
Mg3(BO3)(F,OH)3
Colour:
Colourless, violet or white; colourless in transmitted light
Lustre:
Silky
Hardness:
3½
Specific Gravity:
2.98
Crystal System:
Hexagonal
Name:
Named in 1926 by Per Geijer allusion to its composition, containing both FLUOrine and BORon.
Isostructural with:
Unique Identifiers
Mindat ID:
1566
Long-form identifier:
mindat:1:1:1566:6
Similar Names
| Fluobaryt | A synonym of 'Baryto-Fluate of Lime' |
IMA Classification of Fluoborite
Approved, 'Grandfathered' (first described prior to 1959)
IMA Formula:
Mg3(BO3)F3
Classification of Fluoborite
6.AB.50
6 : BORATES
A : Monoborates
B : BO3, with additional anions; 1(D) + OH, etc.
6 : BORATES
A : Monoborates
B : BO3, with additional anions; 1(D) + OH, etc.
25.1.2.1
25 : ANHYDROUS BORATES CONTAINING HYDROXYL OR HALOGEN
1 : Monoborates
25 : ANHYDROUS BORATES CONTAINING HYDROXYL OR HALOGEN
1 : Monoborates
10.1.4
10 : Borates with other anions
1 : Borates with halide
10 : Borates with other anions
1 : Borates with halide
Mineral Symbols
As of 2021 there are now IMA–CNMNC approved mineral symbols (abbreviations) for each mineral species, useful for tables and diagrams.
| Symbol | Source | Reference for Standard |
|---|---|---|
| Fbo | IMA–CNMNC | Warr, L.N. (2021). IMA–CNMNC approved mineral symbols. Mineralogical Magazine, 85(3), 291-320. doi:10.1180/mgm.2021.43 |
Physical Properties of Fluoborite
Silky
Transparency:
Transparent, Translucent
Colour:
Colourless, violet or white; colourless in transmitted light
Streak:
White
Hardness:
3½ on Mohs scale
Cleavage:
Distinct/Good
good On [0001].
good On [0001].
Density:
2.98 g/cm3 (Measured) 2.92 g/cm3 (Calculated)
Optical Data of Fluoborite
Type:
Uniaxial (-)
RI values:
nω = 1.570 nε = 1.534
Max. Birefringence:
δ = 0.036
Based on recorded range of RI values above.
Based on recorded range of RI values above.
Interference Colours:
The colours simulate birefringence patterns seen in thin section under crossed polars. They do not take into account mineral colouration or opacity.
Michel-Levy Bar The default colours simulate the birefringence range for a 30 µm thin-section thickness. Adjust the slider to simulate a different thickness.
Grain Simulation You can rotate the grain simulation to show how this range might look as you rotated a sample under crossed polars. Each grain retains its interference colour (retardation) while its brightness falls to black at extinction and reaches a maximum between extinction positions.
The colours simulate birefringence patterns seen in thin section under crossed polars. They do not take into account mineral colouration or opacity.
Michel-Levy Bar The default colours simulate the birefringence range for a 30 µm thin-section thickness. Adjust the slider to simulate a different thickness.
Grain Simulation You can rotate the grain simulation to show how this range might look as you rotated a sample under crossed polars. Each grain retains its interference colour (retardation) while its brightness falls to black at extinction and reaches a maximum between extinction positions.
Surface Relief:
Low (positive)
Relative to Canada balsam mounting medium (n ≈ 1.537).
Relative to Canada balsam mounting medium (n ≈ 1.537).
This shows the grain boundary and Becke line effect under plane-polarised
light, based on the contrast between this mineral's average refractive
index and the mounting medium. It does not take into account mineral
colouration.
In focus
Interference Figure:
This shows the idealized uniaxial interference figure - the conoscopic
(convergent-light, Bertrand-lens-in) view, for a grain cut with the optic axis
centred and vertical. The coloured rings are isochromatics, computed with the
same physics as the Michel-Lévy bar above; the dark cross is the isogyre.
For a genuinely uniaxial mineral viewed this way, that cross stays perfectly stationary if you rotate the stage - unlike a biaxial mineral, where it splits apart on rotation. That invariance is itself the standard diagnostic test for telling uniaxial and biaxial minerals apart at the microscope.
For a genuinely uniaxial mineral viewed this way, that cross stays perfectly stationary if you rotate the stage - unlike a biaxial mineral, where it splits apart on rotation. That invariance is itself the standard diagnostic test for telling uniaxial and biaxial minerals apart at the microscope.
Chemistry of Fluoborite
Mindat Formula:
Mg3(BO3)(F,OH)3
Element Weights:
Crystallography of Fluoborite
Crystal System:
Hexagonal
Class (H-M):
6/m - Dipyramidal
Space Group:
P63/m
Cell Parameters:
a = 8.8612(12) Å, c = 3.1021(6) Å
Ratio:
a:c = 1 : 0.35
Unit Cell V:
210.95 ų (Calculated from Unit Cell)
Z:
3
Morphology:
Acicular hexagonal prisms without measurable terminal faces. Fan-shaped or stellate groups. Fluffy, felted aggregates; rice-like grains.
Crystal Structure
Load
Unit Cell | Unit Cell Packed
2x2x2 | 3x3x3 | 4x4x4
Unit Cell | Unit Cell Packed
2x2x2 | 3x3x3 | 4x4x4
Show
Big Balls | Small Balls | Just Balls | Spacefill
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Display Options
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View
CIF File Best | x | y | z | a | b | c
CIF File Best | x | y | z | a | b | c
Rotation
Stop | Start
Stop | Start
Labels
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Data courtesy of the American Mineralogist Crystal Structure Database. Click on an AMCSD ID to view structure
| ID | Species | Reference | Link | Year | Locality | Pressure (GPa) | Temp (K) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0015645 | Fluoborite | Dal Negro A, Tadini C (1974) Refinement of the crystal structure of fluoborite, Mg3(F,OH)3(BO3) Tschermaks Mineralogische und Petrographische Mitteilungen 21 94-100 | 1974 | Nocera, Italy | 0 | 293 | |
| 0002342 | Fluoborite | Camara F, Ottolini L (2000) New data on the crystal-chemistry of fluoborite by means of SREF, SIMS and EMP analysis American Mineralogist 85 103-107 |  | 2000 | 0 | 293 | |
| 0002341 | Fluoborite | Camara F, Ottolini L (2000) New data on the crystal-chemistry of fluoborite by means of SREF, SIMS and EMP analysis American Mineralogist 85 103-107 | | 2000 | 0 | 293 |
CIF Raw Data - click here to close
X-Ray Powder Diffraction
Powder Diffraction Data:
| d-spacing | Intensity |
|---|---|
| 2.424 Å | (s) |
| 4.462 Å | (ms) |
| 2.143 Å | (ms) |
| 2.129 Å | (ms) |
| 7.72 Å | (m) |
| 2.575 Å | (m) |
| 1.815 Å | (m) |
Geological Environment
Paragenetic Mode(s):
| Paragenetic Mode | Earliest Age (Ga) |
|---|---|
| Near-surface Processes | |
| 23 : Subaerial aqueous alteration by non-redox-sensitive fluids (see also #47) | |
| Stage 7: Great Oxidation Event | <2.4 |
| 45b : [Other oxidized fumarolic minerals] |
Type Occurrence of Fluoborite
Place of Conservation of Type Material:
Swedish Museum of Natural History, Stockholm, Sweden.
Geological Setting of Type Material:
Contact metasomatic magnetite deposit.
Associated Minerals at Type Locality:
Synonyms of Fluoborite
Other Language Names for Fluoborite
Dutch:Fluoboriet
Russian:Флюоборит
Simplified Chinese:氟硼镁石
Spanish:Fluoborita
Nocerita
Nocerita
Traditional Chinese:氟硼鎂石
Relationship of Fluoborite to other Species
Forms a series with:
Common Associates
Associations Based on Photo Data:
| 21 photos of Fluoborite associated with Calcite | CaCO3 |
| 16 photos of Fluoborite associated with Dolomite | CaMg(CO3)2 |
| 13 photos of Fluoborite associated with 'UM1986-10-CO:ClHMgMnZn (also called Mineral F, Dunn, 1995)' | Mg5(Zn,Mn)3(CO3)2(OH,Cl)12 · H2O |
| 13 photos of Fluoborite associated with Graphite | C |
| 11 photos of Fluoborite associated with Pyrochroite | Mn(OH)2 |
| 11 photos of Fluoborite associated with Mooreite | Mg9◻2Mn2Zn4(SO4)2(OH)26 · 8H2O |
| 9 photos of Fluoborite associated with Lizardite | Mg3(Si2O5)(OH)4 |
| 9 photos of Fluoborite associated with Fluorite | CaF2 |
| 8 photos of Fluoborite associated with Franklinite | Zn2+Fe3+2O4 |
| 7 photos of Fluoborite associated with Willemite | Zn2SiO4 |
Related Minerals - Strunz-mindat Grouping
| 6.AB. | Chubarovite | KZn2(BO3)Cl2 |
| 6.AB. | Rhabdoborite-(Mo) | Mg12Mo6+1.33O6(BO3)6F2 |
| 6.AB.05 | Hambergite | Be2(BO3)(OH) |
| 6.AB.10 | Berborite | Be2(BO3)(OH) · H2O |
| 6.AB.15 | Jeremejevite | Al6(BO3)5(F,OH)3 |
| 6.AB.20 | Yuanfuliite | Mg(Fe3+,Al)O(BO3) |
| 6.AB.20 | Warwickite | (Mg,Ti,Fe,Al)2O(BO3) |
| 6.AB.25 | Karlite | (Mg,Al)6.5(BO3)3(OH)4(◻,Cl)0.5 |
| 6.AB.30 | Marinaite | Cu2Fe3+O2(BO3) |
| 6.AB.30 | Savelievaite | Mg2Cr3+O2(BO3) |
| 6.AB.30 | Fredrikssonite | Mg2Mn3+O2(BO3) |
| 6.AB.30 | Vonsenite | Fe2+2Fe3+(BO3)O2 |
| 6.AB.30 | Ludwigite | Mg2Fe3+(BO3)O2 |
| 6.AB.30 | Azoproite | (Mg,Fe2+)2(Fe3+,Ti,Mg)(BO3)O2 |
| 6.AB.30 | Bonaccordite | Ni2Fe3+(BO3)O2 |
| 6.AB.35 | Folvikite | Sb5+Mn3+(Mg,Mn2+)10O8(BO3)4 |
| 6.AB.35 | Pinakiolite | (Mg,Mn2+)2Mn3+(BO3)O2 |
| 6.AB.40 | Takéuchiite | (Mg,Mn2+)2(Mn3+,Fe3+)(BO3)O2 |
| 6.AB.40 | Blatterite | Sb5+3(Mn3+,Fe3+)9(Mn2+,Mg)35(BO3)16O32 |
| 6.AB.40 | Orthopinakiolite | (Mg,Mn2+)2Mn3+(BO3)O2 |
| 6.AB.40 | Chestermanite | Mg2(Fe3+,Mn3+,Al,Sb3+)(BO3)O2 |
| 6.AB.45 | Aluminomagnesiohulsite | (Mg,Fe2+)2(Al,Mg,Sn)(BO3)O2 |
| 6.AB.45 | Hulsite | Fe2+2Fe3+O2(BO3) |
| 6.AB.45 | Magnesiohulsite | Mg2Fe3+O2(BO3) |
| 6.AB.50 | Hydroxylborite | Mg3(BO3)(OH)3 |
| 6.AB.55 | Shabynite | Mg5(BO3)(OH)5(Cl,OH)2 · 4H2O |
| 6.AB.55 | Wightmanite | Mg5(BO3)O(OH)5 · 2H2O |
| 6.AB.60 | Gaudefroyite | Ca4Mn3+2-3(BO3)3(CO3)(O,OH)3 |
| 6.AB.65 | Sakhaite | Ca48Mg16(BO3)32(CO3)16 · 2(H2O,HCl) |
| 6.AB.70 | Harkerite | Ca48Mg16[AlSi4O15(OH)]4(BO3)16(CO3)16 · 2(H2O,HCl) |
| 6.AB.75 | Pertsevite-(F) | Mg2(BO3)(F,OH) |
| 6.AB.75 | Pertsevite-(OH) | Mg2(BO3)(OH) |
| 6.AB.80 | Jacquesdietrichite | Cu2(H2BO3)(OH)3 |
| 6.AB.85 | Rhabdoborite-(V) | Mg12(V5+,Mo6+,W6+)1.5O6{[BO3]6-x[(P,As)O4]xF2-x} (x < 1) |
| 6.AB.85 | Rhabdoborite-(W) | Mg12(W6+,V5+)1.5O6{[BO3]6-x[(P,As)O4]xF2-x} |
| 6.AB.85 | Painite | CaZrAl9(BO3)O15 |
| 6.AB.90 | Mengxianminite | (Ca,Na)2Sn2(Mg,Fe)3Al8[(BO3)(BeO4)O6]2 |
Fluorescence of Fluoborite
White (SW UV)(Franklin Marble, NJ & NY, USA).
Other Information
Health Risks:
No information on health risks for this material has been entered into the database. You should always treat mineral specimens with care.
Internet Links for Fluoborite
mindat.org URL:
https://www.mindat.org/min-1566.html
Please feel free to link to this page.
Please feel free to link to this page.
Search Engines:
External Links:
Mineral Dealers:
References for Fluoborite
Reference List:
Geijer, Per (1926) Norbergite and Fluoborite, two new minerals from the Norberg mining district. Geologiska Föreningen i Stockholm Förhandlingar, 48 (1). 84-85 doi:10.1080/11035892609445642
Bauer, L. H., Berman, Harry (1929) Mooreite, a new mineral, and fluoborite from Sterling Hill, New Jersey. American Mineralogist, 14 (5) 165-172
Schaller, Waldemar T. (1942) The identity of ascharite, camsellite, and β-ascharite with szaibelyite; and some relations of the magnesium borate minerals. American Mineralogist, 27 (7) 467-486
Takéuchi, Y. (1950) The structure of fluoborite. Acta Crystallographica, 3 (3) 208-210 doi:10.1107/s0365110x50000501
Brisi, Cesare, Eitel, Wilhelm (1956) Identity of Nocerite and Fluoborite. Die Naturwissenschaften, 43 (21). 496 doi:10.1007/bf00632521
Brisi, Cesare; Eitel, Wilhem (1957) Identity of nocerite and fluoborite. American Mineralogist, 42 (3-4). 288-293
Localities for Fluoborite
Showing 67 localities.
symbol to view information about a locality.
The Locality List
- This locality has map coordinates listed.
- This locality has estimated coordinates.
ⓘ - Click for references and further information on this occurrence.
? - Indicates mineral may be doubtful at this locality.
- Good crystals or important locality for species.
- World class for species or very significant.
(TL) - Type Locality for a valid mineral species.
(FRL) - First Recorded Locality for everything else (eg varieties).
All localities listed without proper references should be considered as questionable.
Australia | |
| Bottrill +1 other reference |
| Kwak et al. (1988) |
Canada | |
| Grice (1989) |
| Sabina (1982) |
| Sabina (1986) |
| Liverton et al. (eds.) |
China | |
| Wang (1983) +1 other reference |
| Zhenhai Wang (2000) |
| Aleksandrov (1998) |
| Gu et al. (1976) |
| Rongwen Zhou and Zhishun Chen (1991) |
| Yang Guangming et al. (1985) +1 other reference | |
| Feibao Wu and Zongyu Li (1986) |
| Chengdian Pen (1986) |
France | |
| Goujou et al. (2000) |
Germany | |
| EDX-Analysis performed by Andreas ... |
Italy | |
| Pavel M. Kartashov (n.d.) +1 other reference |
| Dondi M. et al. (1990) |
| Dondi M. et al. (1990) | |
| Imma Punzo find & collection |
| Scacchi (1881) +9 other references |
| Caponera I. |
| Caponera et al. (2003) | |
| luigi mattei | |
| Caponera et al. (2003) | |
Malaysia | |
| Palache et al. (1951) |
Mexico | |
| Panczner (1987) |
North Korea | |
| Palache et al. (1951) |
Romania | |
| Ş +1 other reference |
| Shimizu et al. (1998) | |
| Ş +1 other reference | |
Russia | |
| Jambor et al. (2002) |
| Apollonov (1998) +1 other reference |
| Mazurov et al. (2007) |
| Pekov et al. (2014) +3 other references |
| Malinko S.V. e.a. (1991) |
| V.A. Gorelov (1997) |
| Ivashchenko et al. (2006) +2 other references | |
| [World of Stones 12:49] | |
| Seltmann et al. (2010) |
| Chukanov (2014) |
| Kovalev et al. (2019) |
South Africa | |
| Braithwaite et al. (1994) +2 other references |
Spain | |
| Calvo Rebollar (2018) |
Sweden | |
| |
| Gatedal (2003) |
| Knut Edvard Larsen collection # 3929 (visually identified, ex- H. Fylling collection) | |
| Geologiska Föreningens I Stockholm. ... +2 other references |
UK | |
| Kemp et al. (2016) |
| |
| Livingstone (2002) |
USA | |
| Aleksandrov (2007) |
| Erd et al. (1988) |
| Segnit et al. (1963) +3 other references |
| Otton +7 other references |
| Gillerman (1982) |
| Castor et al. (2004) |
| Gillson et al. (1925) +1 other reference | |
| Westgate et al. (1932) | |
| Betancourt (The Picking Table, Vol. 27) +1 other reference |
| Common knowledge among local collectors. |
| Modris Baum |
| Palache (1935) +2 other references | |
| Dunn (1995) |
| van Rossen (2026) |
| Robinson et al. (2007) |
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New Method Mine, Amboy area, Bristol Mountains, San Bernardino County, California, USA