New Mexico Mineral Symposium — Abstracts

Fluorite is a widespread mineral in Arizona, occurring in at least 390 localities in twelve counties, according to MINDAT. Although perhaps less admired than specimens of Arizona wulfenite, azurite or malachite, fluorite can nevertheless be found in fine, euhedral crystals to 2" on edge, in hues of spruce green, pale green, lavender, dark purple, and bi-colored crystals. Associated minerals species include quartz, calcite, galena, cerussite and wulfenite.

The finest Arizona fluorite specimens have certainly come from the Oatman mining district, Mohave County in recent years, first from the Hardy mine and then later from the Homestake. Mined by Mark Hay and Dick Morris, these mines have provided a steady flow of octahedral fluorite, colored grass-green, spruce-green, or raspberry/green combos on white drusy quartz matrix, and with occasional rosettes of clear quartz on top. The specimens bear a striking resemblance to octahedral fluorite from the San Juan Mountains of Colorado, albeit without rhodochrosite.

The Santa Teresa wilderness area, Graham County, has recently produced fine octahedral purple fluorite on clusters of white to clear quartz crystals. The best fluorite crystals have been found up to 2" on edge and are usually grape-jelly purple, but may also be lavender or zoned shades of purple.

Another locale exploited commercially in the last few years is found at the eastern extent of the Tombstone Hills, Cochise County. Named “La Fluorite Dulcita” claim by the most recent claim holder, the deposit has been known for many years and has produced both pale green and dark purple octahedral fluorite on druzy quartz casts which have formed upon earlier depositions of yellow calcite in both scalenohedral and rhombohedral crystal forms.

A recent find near Deluge Wash toward the eastern side of the Huallapai Mountains has produced pale green fluorite crystals in complex cuboctahedra more than 2" across, perched on milk-white quartz crystals. This mining area has molybdenite and hiseringerite, as well as other contaminants, which make successful cleaning very challenging.

Other, older, localities for Arizona fluorite specimens include the mines of the Castle Dome area, including the Hull, where it has been found associated with galena, calcite and wulfenite. Other locales include the Heson mine in La Paz County, the Empire and Toughnut mines at Tombstone, Cochise County, the Neptune mine at the north end of the Sierrita Mountains in Pima County, the Prism (Rainbow) mine in Maricopa County, the Lucky and other mines in the Duncan area, the Ten Strike mine near Klondyke, and various locales in the Buckskin Mountains and Artillery Mountains.

In conclusion, although not valued as highly as Arizona’s more famous species, fluorite forms in many places throughout Arizona and in attractive specimens which can grace many collector or museum collections.

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References:

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