Antozonite

{{Short description|Variant of fluorite (CaF₂)}}

File:Antozonite.jpg

File:Stinkspat hg.jpg

Antozonite (historically known as Stinkspat, Stinkfluss, Stinkstein, Stinkspar{{cite journal | url=http://www.nature.com/news/stinky-rocks-hide-earth-s-only-haven-for-natural-fluorine-1.10992 | doi=10.1038/nature.2012.10992 | title=Stinky rocks hide Earth's only haven for natural fluorine | date=2012 | last1=Sanderson | first1=Katharine | journal=Nature }} and fetid fluorite[http://www.minsocam.org/ammin/AM50/AM50_1914.pdf Carbonatites and alkalic rocks of the Arkansas River area, Fremont County, Colorado. 2. Fetid gas from carbonatite and related rocks], American Mineralogist, vol. 50, November–December 1965; E. Wm. Heinrich and Raymond J. Anderson) is a radioactive fluorite variety first found in Wölsendorf, Bavaria, in 1841,[http://www.minsocam.org/ammin/AM42/AM42_191.pdf Some physical properties of naturally irradiated fluorite], American Mineralogist, Robert Berman, 1956; "The material has been given the name antozonite, after the supposed evanescent gas, antozone. Earlier names were Stinkstein and Stinkfluss (Hausmann, 1847)" and named in 1862.{{cite web | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=hPYQAAAAIAAJ&dq=antozonite+%22american+journal+of+science%22&pg=PA211 | title=American Journal of Science and Arts | date=1862 }}

It is characterized by the presence of multiple inclusions containing elemental fluorine;{{cite journal | url=https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/0009-2541%2877%2990047-X | doi=10.1016/0009-2541(77)90047-X | title=Study of the solid and gaseous inclusions in the fluorites from Wölsendorf (Bavaria, F.R. of Germany) and Margnac (Haute Vienne, France) by microprobe and mass spectrometry | date=1977 | last1=Vochten | first1=R. | last2=Esmans | first2=E. | last3=Vermeirsch | first3=W. | journal=Chemical Geology | volume=20 | pages=253–263 | bibcode=1977ChGeo..20..253V }} when the crystals are crushed or broken, the elemental fluorine is released. It was postulated that beta radiation given by uranium inclusions continuously break down calcium fluoride into calcium and fluorine atoms. Fluorine atoms combine to produce difluoride anions and, upon losing the extra electrons at a defect, fluorine is formed.[https://web.archive.org/web/20120720044648/http://www.tum.de/uploads/media/120705_Stinkspat_PW_EN.pdf First Direct Evidence that Elemental Fluorine Occurs in Nature], News Release, Technische Universität München, 5 July 2012 (via archive.org)[https://web.archive.org/web/20150924123833/http://www.rsc.org/chemistryworld/2012/07/fluorine-finally-found-nature Fluorine Finally Found in Nature], Chemistry World, Royal Society of Chemistry, 11 July, 2012 (via archive.org) Fluorine subsequently reacts with atmospheric oxygen and water vapor, producing ozone (whose characteristic smell, originally mistaken for a hypothetical substance called antozone, is responsible for the mineral's name) and hydrogen fluoride.