What makes minerals fluorescent

Manganocummingtonite aka Tirodite , anthophyllite, and tremolite are virtually indistinguishable in the field and are all members of the amphibole group of silicate minerals. Regardless, they are beautiful fluorescent specimens and exhibit triboluminescence, as well. Handle with care, as they all are asbestos.

Inuit for reindeer blood, tugtupite is a rare beryllium aluminum tectosilicate found primarily in Greenland, though it has been found in Quebec, on the Kola Peninsula in Russia and along the rivers in Nepal. Brightly fluorescent under ultraviolet light, tugtupite also exhibits tenebrescence.

A zinc silicate, willemite is well known for its extremely bright green fluorescence, though it can fluoresce in other colors, as well. In daylight, willemite can be found in a variety of forms and colors, from apple green gemmy crystals to blood red masses. Willemite is often very phosphorescent, with some afterglow lasting for hours. Green; sometimes white or yellow SW Willemite var. Wollastonite is an important industrial mineral with a wide variety of applications.

With its needle-like structure, the calcium inosilicate is similar to asbestos, but is non-hazardous and is used as a fire retardant, to strengthen plastics and ceramics, as a flattening agent for paints, and as an additive in friction applications. Of course, many specimens are fluorescent, some varying colors under different wavelengths. Instead caliche is a mineral deposit, a natural cement of calcium carbonate binding other materials such as silt, sand, and gravel together into an extremely hard conglomerate.

Common to arid and semi-arid regions, caliche is often fluorescent and adds stunning color to many specimens from the Desert Southwest and South America.

Common Fluorescent Minerals. Search for:. Common Minerals Gallery. Discussion Forum Interested in this topic? It may be discussed more in our forum. Visit Forum. Fluorite Originally known as fluorospar, fluorite gave birth to the phenomenon fluorescence, first discovered and named by George Stokes in Calcite Probably the most common fluorescent mineral, calcite is a carbonate mineral that can be found throughout the world.

Aragonite Similar to calcite, aragonite is another common carbonate mineral. Baryte Baryte is a barium sulfate mineral that typically can be found as tabular crystals of varying thicknesses.

Cerussite The name cerussite is derived from the Latin word, cerussa, meaning white lead. Chalcedony While not a true mineral in and of itself, chalcedony loosely refers to several varieties of silicon dioxides primarily consisting of microscopic crystals of quartz and sometimes moganite.

Corundum Rubies and sapphires! Esperite A rare and very sought after fluorescent mineral, esperite is found only in two locations in the world, the Parker Shaft of the Franklin Mine and the El Dragon Mine in Bolivia, with the latter appearing only as microcrystals. Hardystonite Until recently, hardystonite was thought to only occur at the Franklin Mine in New Jersey. Hyalite Also known as water-clear opal and opal-an for amorphous network , hyalite is a glassy and clear form of opal.

Hydrozincite Hydrozincite is a zinc carbonate that typically forms as an oxidation product of zinc ores. Scapolite Again, scapolite refers not to a single mineral, but to a group of aluminosilicate minerals that include end members meionite and marialite, as well as the archaic monikers wernerite and mizzonite. Most minerals fluoresce a single color. Other minerals have multiple colors of fluorescence. Calcite has been known to fluoresce red, blue, white, pink, green and orange.

Some minerals are known to exhibit multiple colors of fluorescence in a single specimen. These can be banded minerals that exhibit several stages of growth from parent solutions with changing compositions. Many minerals fluoresce one color under short-wave UV light and another color under long-wave UV light. Fluorescent Minerals. Fluorescent Minerals All minerals have the ability to reflect light. But some may show a white color instead. And even with fluorite, not all rocks will actually glow.

Fluorescent minerals are not only pretty to look at, but they also have industrial applications as well. For example, lamps have been made to identify fluorescent minerals. These lamps may be used in mines to help prospecting miners to identify ores. Sometimes geologists also carry them when they are out searching for minerals in the field.

Some precious gemstones also glow under UV light, so carrying this kind of lamp can aid in their discovery. If you have fluorescent minerals, or want to discover whether you do, you can purchase an ultraviolet lamp. Nonscientific-grade lamps do not produce the short-wave UV light which is necessary for studying minerals. The long-wave light they produce is safer for long-term exposure, but not adequate for this use.

They also emit visible light which interferes with the process. Scientific-grade lights on the other hand block most visible light and may be designed to produce mid and short-wave UVB and UVC light.

If you buy a scientific-grade UV light, you must follow the safety instructions carefully and avoid long-term exposure. Short-wave UV light causes sunburn and radiation damage and can increase your risk of cancer.

Always wear long sleeves and gloves, and cover as much of your skin as possible. Wear safety goggles or sunglasses with UVB filtering, and never look directly into the lamp.

Make sure nobody else does either, including children and pets, who may not understand the danger the lamp poses. Your email address will not be published. Gemstone Education. How Fluorescence Works Interested in how this process works on an atomic level? Which Minerals are Fluorescent? UV Lamps for Fluorescent Viewing If you have fluorescent minerals, or want to discover whether you do, you can purchase an ultraviolet lamp.