Trace Determination and Pressure Estimation of Fluorine F2 Caused by Irradiation Damage in Minerals and Synthetic Fluorides.

Irradiated alkali and earth alkali halides can form metal colloids and halogen molecules, which stay trapped inside the crystal. In this paper we provide 19 F NMR spectroscopic evidence of trapped F2 fluids in heavy ion-bombarded synthesized LiF crystals as well as in a variety of the mineral Villiaumite (NaF). This is the 2nd mineral in which F2 is unambiguously detected in nature. The trace quantification of the latter is in the order of magnitude of 10-6  mol g-1 . Pressures and densities of the F2 fluids are estimated based on the theory of nuclear spin relaxation in dilute gases.