Antozonite (historically known as Stinkspat, Stinkfluss, Stinkstein, Stinkspar[1] and fetid fluorite[2]) is a
radioactivefluorite 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.
^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)"