Yellow fluorite is prized by collectors for its vibrant color saturation and well-defined cubic crystal habits. It is frequently found in hydrothermal vein deposits and is often associated with sulfide minerals. When collecting, look for sharp, glassy cubes or interpenetrant twin crystals, though be aware that it is relatively soft and prone to cleavage.
Is this yellow fluorite?
5-step field checkRun through these checks against the specimen in your hand. The more boxes tick, the more confident the ID.
- 1Test the hardnessTry to scratch yellow fluorite with a known reference. Yellow Fluorite sits at Mohs 4, softer than the next harder reference, harder than the previous one.
- 2Check the streakDrag the specimen across an unglazed porcelain plate. Streak: white.
- 3Read the lusterHold the specimen under a strong light. Luster: vitreous.
- 4Match the color rangeCompare against the expected color range: yellow, golden-yellow, honey-yellow.
- 5Look at form & habitCrystal system: cubic. Typical habit: cubic crystals, octahedral, massive.
Often confused with
Yellow Fluorite vs. its common look-alikes, and how to tell them apart in the field.
How to tell apart: Yellow Fluorite is noticeably harder (Mohs 4 vs. 3).
How to tell apart: Streak differs, so Yellow Fluorite leaves white, Sphalerite leaves pale brown to pale yellow and white; luster reads vitreous on Yellow Fluorite and resinous to adamantine on Sphalerite.
Often found alongside yellow fluorite
Minerals reported to co-occur with yellow fluorite. Spotting these in float or country rock is a strong cue you are in the right ground.
All properties
- Chemical formula
- CaF₂
- Mohs hardness
- 4
- Density
- 3.1-3.2 g/cm³
- Streak
- White
- Luster
- Vitreous
- Transparency
- Transparent
- Crystal system
- Cubic
- Crystal habit
- Cubic crystals, octahedral, massive
- Cleavage
- Perfect octahedral
- Fluorescence
- Often fluorescent blue or yellow under UV light
- Rarity
- Common
- Uses
- Collector, Ornamental
- Host rock
- hydrothermal veins, sedimentary limestone, granite pegmatites
Where rockhounds find yellow fluorite
1 mapped spotsClassic worldwide localities
- Cave-in-Rock, Illinois, USA
- Asturias, Spain
- Hunan Province, China
- Oberwiesenthal, Germany
- Dalnegorsk, Russia
Field-hunting tip
Where it forms: hydrothermal veins, sedimentary limestone, granite pegmatites. If you start seeing quartz, galena, sphalerite in float, you are in the right ground. Typical habit: cubic crystals, octahedral, massive. Train your eye for that shape before scanning the outcrop. In the U.S., the densest reported localities are in Illinois. Start trip planning there.
Common questions
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Find yellow fluorite on the map
RockHoundR shows mapped rockhounding spots, access rules, and lets you log every find.
