In a surprising discovery, researchers have found small amounts of elemental fluorine in a mineral called fluorspar, contradicting the long-held belief that this highly reactive element does not exist in nature in its pure form. Scientists from Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München used a special technique to detect the fluorine, which is produced by tiny uranium inclusions that gradually break down the fluorspar mineral. This also explains why fluorspar emits a pungent odor when crushed. Fluorine is the most reactive of all chemical elements and must be handled with extreme caution, as it can destroy laboratory glassware and cause bricks to ignite.
For almost 200 years, chemists have been puzzled by the unpleasant and acrid smell that fluorspar emits when broken. It was only recently that Jörn Schmedt auf der Günne and his team were able to identify the source of the odor as elemental fluorine. The researchers used nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy to detect the fluorine, which was separated from calcium by the fluorspar. The presence of elemental fluorine in fluorspar is surprising, as it is known to react immediately with calcium to form fluorspar. However, the researchers found that the fluorine was produced by the constant radiation of uranium inclusions, which break down the fluorspar into calcium and fluorine.
This discovery challenges the long-held belief that elemental fluorine does not exist in nature, and highlights the importance of continued research into the properties and behavior of chemical elements. The extreme reactivity of fluorine makes it a valuable tool in many industrial processes, but also poses significant risks to human health and the environment. As such, it is crucial that scientists continue to study and understand the behavior of this fascinating element.
