Calcium fluoride

It occurs as the mineral fluorite (also called fluorspar), which is often deeply coloured owing to impurities.

[5] Although perfectly packed crystalline samples are colorless, the mineral is often deeply colored due to the presence of F-centers.

[6] It has been proposed that this is due to the fluoride ligands interacting with the electron core[7][8] or the d-subshell[9] of the calcium atom.

High purity CaF2 is produced by treating calcium carbonate with hydrofluoric acid:[10] Naturally occurring CaF2 is the principal source of hydrogen fluoride, a commodity chemical used to produce a wide range of materials.

[11] Hydrogen fluoride is liberated from the mineral by the action of concentrated sulfuric acid:[12] Calcium fluoride is used to manufacture optical components such as windows and lenses, used in thermal imaging systems, spectroscopy, telescopes, and excimer lasers (used for photolithography in the form of a fused lens).

NFPA 704 four-colored diamond Health 0: Exposure under fire conditions would offer no hazard beyond that of ordinary combustible material. E.g. sodium chloride Flammability 0: Will not burn. E.g. water Instability 0: Normally stable, even under fire exposure conditions, and is not reactive with water. E.g. liquid nitrogen Special hazards (white): no code
Unit cell of CaF 2 , known as fluorite structure, from two equivalent perspectives. The second origin is often used when visualising point defects centred on the cation. [ 4 ]