AllMineralsRock
Fluorite Vs. Sapphire
Fluorite is a very popular gemstone composed of calcium fluoride.[1] Sapphire is also a very popular gemstone and its chemical composition is silicon dioxide.[2]
Quick Facts on Differences of Fluorite and Sapphire
For a quick recap of the differences fluorite and sapphire:- For chemical formulas, fluorite is CaF2 while sapphire is Al2O3.
- While both fluorite and sapphire is vitreous, in terms of luster, sapphire can be adamantine.
- Fluorite streaks white while sapphire streaks colorless.
- While both fluorite and sapphire can be commonly green, fluorite is often red or yellow and sapphire is often blue.
- Fluorite's rarity is less rare than sapphire.
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Fluorite's hardness is lower than sapphire - fluorite is 4 and sapphire is 9 on the Moh's scale.
- Fluorite can be scratched by the average knife blade (4.5), glass (5.5) or quartz (7) while sapphire can not be.
- Fluorite's specific gravity is lower than sapphire - fluorite ranges from 3 to 3.18 and sapphire ranges from 3.99 to 4.
Quick Facts on Similarities of Fluorite and Sapphire
The similarities of fluorite and sapphire include:- Fluorite and sapphire both can be opaque, translucent or transparent.
Summary of Fluorite
Fluorite, also known as fluorspar, is a mineral that is commonly found in a variety of colors including purple, green, blue, yellow, and clear. It is easily recognizable due to its distinctive cubic crystal structure, which is often associated with a stepped or layered appearance. Fluorite is a relatively soft mineral, with a hardness of 4 on the Mohs scale, and it has a specific gravity of approximately 3.0.Summary of Sapphire
Sapphire is a precious mineral that belongs to the corundum family. It is a variety of aluminum oxide that is distinguished by its blue color, although it can also be found in other colors such as pink, yellow, green, and purple. Sapphire is one of the hardest minerals in the world, with a hardness of 9 on the Mohs scale, making it an ideal material for use in jewelry and industrial applications.Table Comparison of Fluorite vs Sapphire
| Fluorite (src) | Sapphire (src) | |
|---|---|---|
| Transparency | transparent, translucent, opaque | transparent, translucent, opaque |
| Chemical Formula | CaF2 | Al2O3 |
| Chemical Composition | calcium fluoride | silicon dioxide |
| Specific Gravity | 3, 3.18, 3.25 | 3.99, 4, 4.1 |
| Hardness | 4 | 9 |
| Streak | white | colorless |
| Refractive Index | 1.432, 1.434 | 1.757, 1.779 |
| Hydrous | No | No |
| Colors | common: red, green, yellow sometimes: blue, pink, black, brown less common: lilac, white, orange, purple, colorless, band, multicolor |
common: green, blue sometimes: pink, amber, yellow less common: gray, black, brown, white, orange, purple, violet, colorless, red, gold, multicolor |
| Solubility | Soluble (slowly) in water and in hot HCL | Insoluble |
| Fracture | conchoidal, splintery, subconchoidal | conchoidal |