Nanoparticles of Yb, Er codoped calcium fluoride were obtained by a co-precipitation method. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) and X-ray powder diffraction (XRD) analysis showed that the obtained nanoparticles were single fluorite phase with grains size around 30–50nm. Yb, Er:CaF2 transparent ceramics were fabricated by hot pressing (HP) the nanoparticles at a temperature of 800°C in a vacuum environment. For a 2mm thickness ceramic sample, the transmittance at 1200nm reached about 83%. Microstructures were characterized using SEM analysis, and the average grain size was about 700nm. Grain boundaries of the ceramic sample were clean and no impurities were detected. The absorption, upconversion and infrared emission spectra of transparent ceramic sample under 978nm excitation were measured and discussed.