Antozonite Explained

Antozonite (historically known as Stinkspat, Stinkfluss, Stinkstein, Stinkspar^[1] and fetid fluorite^[2]) is a radioactive fluorite variety first found in Wölsendorf, Bavaria, in 1841,^[3] and named in 1862.^[4]

It is characterized by the presence of multiple inclusions containing elemental fluorine;^[5] 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.^{[6] [7]} 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.

External links

• Antozonite at Mindat.org.

Notes and References

1. http://www.nature.com/news/stinky-rocks-hide-earth-s-only-haven-for-natural-fluorine-1.10992 Stinky rocks hide Earth’s only haven for natural fluorine
2. 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
3. http://www.minsocam.org/ammin/AM42/AM42_191.pdf Some physical properties of naturally irradiated fluorite
4. https://books.google.com/books?id=hPYQAAAAIAAJ&dq=antozonite+%22american+journal+of+science%22&pg=PA211 American Journal of Science
5. https://archive.today/20120910165044/http://www.sciencedirect.com/science?_ob=ArticleURL&_udi=B6V5Y-487670D-77&_user=10&_coverDate=12/31/1977&_rdoc=1&_fmt=high&_orig=search&_sort=d&_docanchor=&view=c&_searchStrId=1314752295&_rerunOrigin=google&_acct=C000050221&_version=1&_urlVersion=0&_userid=10&md5=fe7453ca758af2fbd4fdae6595a87897 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
6. 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
7. https://web.archive.org/web/20150924123833/http://www.rsc.org/chemistryworld/2012/07/fluorine-finally-found-nature Fluorine Finally Found in Nature