Mineral Collection
SC111 - Uraninite with Schröckingerite from Utah, USA
Locality: Mi Vida Mine, Big Indian Mining District, San Juan Co., Utah, USA (MINDAT)
Size: 4 x 3 x 2 cm
Small Schröckingerite crystal on Uraninite. The uraninite is not fluorescent, but the Schröckingerite has very nice deep green fluorescence.
Very radioactive: 19.3 uS/h (beta+gamma), 145 times the natural background.
SC121 - Scapolite/Wernerite from Canada
Locality: Canada
Size: 5 x 5 x 3 cm
Weight: 51g
Bright fluorescence under all wavelengths, in particular under longwave UV (365nm) and blue laser (405nm).
SC122 - Wollastonite on Calcite from Sterling Mine, NJ
Locality: Sterling Mine, Sterling Hill, Ogdensburg, Franklin Mining District, Sussex County, New Jersey, USA (MINDAT)
A bag of small wollastonite on calcite samples.
SC126 - Shattuckite from Kaokoveld Plateau, Namibia
Locality: Kaokoveld Plateau, Kunene Region, Namibia (MINDAT)
Size: 6.5 x 3 x 3 cm
minID: NDN-NXX
SC128 - Galena from Sweetwater Mine, Missouri, USA
Locality: Sweetwater Mine, Ellington, Reynolds Co., Missouri, USA (MINDAT)
Size: 4 x 3 x 3.5 cm
minID: A36-TQD
SC129 - Wollastonite from Lewis Co, New York, USA
Locality: Gouverneur Talc Company No. 4 Quarry, Diana Township, Lewis Co., New York, USA (MINDAT)
Size: 9 x 5 x 4 cm
Weight: 109g
minID: 2FW-LKL
Solid, white wollastonite. Saying that this mineral is fluorescent is probably a stretch… It glows white/grey under shortwave UV light, with little yellow/orange bits under longwave UV light, but extremely weakly (not possible to make a photo). What is more interesting is the phosphorescence/afterglow. Again extremely weak, but well noticeable and very long lasting (minutes).
SC130 - Wollastonite from Lewis Co, New York, USA
Locality: Gouverneur Talc Company No. 4 Quarry, Diana Township, Lewis Co., New York, USA (MINDAT)
Size: 5 x 4 x 2 cm
Weight: 48g
minID: RTY-8V8
Solid, white wollastonite. Saying that this mineral is fluorescent is probably a stretch… It glows white/grey under shortwave UV light, with little yellow/orange bits under longwave UV light, but extremely weakly (not possible to make a photo). What is more interesting is the phosphorescence/afterglow. Again extremely weak, but well noticeable and very long lasting (minutes).
SC154 - Hemimorphite from Mapimí, Durango, Mexico
Locality: Mapimí, Mapimí Municipality, Durango, Mexico (MINDAT)
Size: 6 x 4 x 2 cm
minID: Y1M-1MP
SC162 - Tremolite from Talcville, New York, USA
Locality: Talcville, St. Lawrence Co., New York, USA (MINDAT)
Size: 6 x 7 x 2 cm
Weight: 54g
Weakly fluorescent under 405nm blue laser. Probably a mixture of different amphiboles.
SC163 - Hexagonite from Talcville, New York, USA
Locality: Talcville, St. Lawrence Co., New York, USA (MINDAT)
Size: 5 x 3 x 1 cm
Weight: 21g
Hexagonite, a pink variety of tremolite containing manganese. Weakly fluorescent under 405nm blue laser. Possibly a mixture of different amphiboles.
SC164 - Corundum var Ruby
Size: 3 x 3 x 1 cm
Corundum/Ruby with unknown inclusions, unknown locality, size ~3cm.
The ruby fluoresce red under both 365nm led UV light and 404nm blue laser, but under 365nm led the inclusions fluoresce a nice bluish white, which is not visible under the 405nm laser.
Following, the fluorescence spectra under different excitation wavelengths. The first one shows the Cr3+ strong line. It should be two lines at 693nm and 694nm, but my spectrometer cannot resolve them. The smaller lines before and after the main peak are also due to the Cr. The second spectrum is a scaled down version of the first, showing also lower wavelengths down to 400nm. The flat broad peak between 400nm and 500nm could be the unknown bluish white fluorescent inclusion, but I’m not sure (could be bleeding of the led light). The complex Cr peaks at ~700nm are also more visible in the second image. Third, fourth and fifth spectra are the fluorescence peaks under blue, green and red laser. The strong Cr3+ peak is visible in all of them. Last one is a comparison of all fluorescence spectra.
SC166 - Wollastonite and Diopside from Sterling Mine, NJ
Locality: Sterling Mine, Sterling Hill, Ogdensburg, Franklin Mining District, Sussex County, New Jersey, USA (MINDAT)
Size: 5 x 2.5 x 1 cm
Weight: 20g
minID: QEW-LH3
Wollastonite (white) with diopside (dark green) with (probably) minor calcite. The fluorescence is quite interesting: yellow/orange fluorescence under shortwave UV light, nothing with long wave, and yellow again with a 405nm blue laser. With the laser there is a red flash (typical for calcite); not sure if it is from the wollastonite or some underlying calcite, not really visible otherwise.
SC176 - Bayleyite from Hideout Mine, Utah, USA
Locality: Hideout Mine, Deer Flat, White Canyon, San Juan Co., Utah, USA (MINDAT)
Size: 5 x 3 x 1 cm
Weight: 4 g
minID: 7J2-KFP
Bright green fluorescent under all wavelengths. Under short wave UV it is has a uniform green/blue color, while under long wave and 405nm laser there is a green/bluish background and some more yellowish “flowers”. I’m not sure which is the bayleyite, probably it is a mixture of secondary uranium minerals.
The fluorescence spectrum shows typical UO2 ions profile. Very similar spectra are obtained under short wave, long wave, and 405nm laser.
It is not too much radioactive: I measure 0.36 uS/h of beta+gamma, just 3 times the background here (but it is very powdery and water soluble (?), so beware!)
SC186 - Calcite from Massachusetts, USA
Locality: Lane Quarry, Northfield, Franklin Co., Massachusetts, USA (MINDAT)
Size: 2 x 2 x 1 cm
SC195 - Autunite from Streuberg Quarry, Germany
Locality: Streuberg Quarry, Bergen, Vogtlandkreis, Saxony, Germany (MINDAT)
Size: 0.5 x 0.5 x 0.5 cm
Very bright green fluorescent autunite.
Comparing my fluorescence spectrum with the one on the fluomin webpage, it looks like mine is shifted at longer wavelengths. My spectrum matches more the uranocircite spectrum on fluomin. Streuberg Quarry is the type locality for uranocircite, so maybe this is not autunite after all..
SC231 - Calcite from Citrus Co., Florida, USA
Locality: Citrus Co., Florida, USA (MINDAT)
Size: 4 x 6 x 3 cm
Weight: 66g
minID: K3W-QHQ
Fluorescence and phosphorescent calcite.
SC232 - Calcite from Citrus Co., Florida, USA
Locality: Citrus Co., Florida, USA (MINDAT)
Size: 4 x 4 x 1.5 cm
Weight: 27g
minID: 9FY-DTY
Fluorescence and phosphorescent calcite.
SC233 - Calcite from Kern Co., California, USA
Locality: Kern Co., California, USA (MINDAT)
Size: 4 x 3 x 2 cm
Weight: 18g
minID: 0U1-246
Fluorescence and phosphorescent calcite.
SC235 - Caliche on Sandstone from Utah, USA
Locality: Utah, USA
Size: 8 x 5 x 5 cm
Weight: 118g
A grey caliche crust on white sandstone. Under UV, both fluoresce: the caliche orange, the sandstone light blue. The sandstone is also briefly phosphorescent.
SC236 - Blue fluorescent amber from Sumatra, Indonesia
Locality: Sumatra, Indonesia
Size: 7 pieces
Weight: 53g
Amber pieces from Sumatra, Indonesia. Brown in visible light, strong pastel blue fluorescence under longwave UV light. Always blue but dimmer in under shortwave, with few green speckles. Amber from Indonesia is relatively young for an amber, so it may be better classified as a very old copal.
SC237 - Polished slab from Sterling Mine, NJ
Locality: Sterling Mine, Sterling Hill, Ogdensburg, Franklin Mining District, Sussex County, New Jersey, USA (MINDAT)
Size: 9 x 8 x 2 cm
minID: 63G-21N
Polished slab showing calcite (white), zincite (dark red), franklinite (black) and tephroite with exsolution willemite (brown). The calcite fluoresces red under shortwave UV light, and the willemite fluoresces green.
Sterling Mine is (co)type locality for three of the minerals in this piece: Zincite, Franklinite and Tephroite.
SC238 - Fluorite
Size: 5 x 3 x 3 cm
Weight: 51.5g
SC239 - Calcite
Size: 4 x 2 x 3 cm
Weight: 26.7g
SC242 - Calcite
Size: 1.5 x 1 x 1 cm
Weight: 2.5g
Tiny calcite, very strong phosphorescence.
SC252 - Blue Sodalite
Size: 3 x 2.5 x 1 cm
Weight: 13.4g
Tumbled blue sodalite.
SC253 - Fuchsia Agate
Size: 2 x 2 x 1 cm
Weight: 9.4g
Tumbled fuchsia agate, dyed.
SC258 - Yellow fluorescent quartz from La Sassa, Italy
Locality: La Sassa, Montecatini Val di Cecina, Pisa Province, Tuscany, Italy (MINDAT)
Size: 7 x 5 x 5 cm
Weight: 140g
minID: XW4-7QC
Quartz is rarely fluorescent. Quartz from La Sassa in Tuscany, Italy is one of the most notable exceptions.
This sample has also tiny fluorescent crystals (the magenta speckles are artifact from the camera sensor).
SC262 - Nosean on Sanidine from In den Dellen quarries, Germany
Locality: In den Dellen quarries, Mendig, Mayen-Koblenz District, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany (MINDAT)
Size: 6 x 5 x 4 cm
See on Natures Rainbows
Under long wave the nosean is bright orange, while the sanidine is bluish white. Under short wave there is just a dim red fluorescence. Under normal light the sanidine are white opaque crystals, the nosean “druzy” transparent tiny crystals on top of the sanidine.
  | Two fluorescence spectra were measured: the first from a nosean-rich region, while the second one from a sanidine-only area. The first one shows the typical vibrionic emission of sulphur (S2-) in sodalite group minerals (group of peaks around 650nm), plus two other smaller peaks at about 440nm and 500nm. The second spectrum shows only the two smaller peaks. I think these are from the sanidine, but I do not know much about sanidine fluorescence and its activator(s). From the vibrionic emission, the maximum peak is at 643nm. According to the [ebook written by Ludo Van Goethem and Axel Emmermann](https://www.naturesrainbows.com/copy-of-sodalite-group-minerals), this correspond to the emission of nosean (sodalite peak maximum is at 625nm, nosean at 645nm, haüyne and lazurite at 695nm) The original label said it contained haüyne, not nosean, so the label was probably wrong. Also, photos on Mindat of haüyne from this quarry show light blue crystals, while the druzy in this sample is transparent. |
There is another white translucent mineral mixed with the sanidine (not fluorescent), but I don’t know what it is (as far as I know, this could be the sanidine, and the fluorescent one an unknown).
SC264 - Amazonite from Sweden
Locality: Zinkgruvan Mine, Zinkgruvan, Askersund, Örebro County, Sweden (MINDAT)
Size: 3.5 x 3.5 x 2.5 cm
It looks like these samples are grey or only slightly green when they come out from the mine. Sunlight intensifies the green color (and the fluorescence?).
The fluorescence is a bluish green only under shortwave. No fluorescence under longwave.
SC268 - Calcite from Connecticut, USA
Locality: Connecticut, USA (MINDAT)
Size: 1 x 1 x 2 cm
Weight: 5.2g
minID: EGN-PPL
SC283 - Hourglass Gypsum from Poland
Locality: Chodziez Co., Greater Poland Voivodeship, Poland (MINDAT)
Size: 6.5 x 2 x 1 cm
Weight: 12.4g minID: GFM-DVY
Hourglass gypsum/selenite. While clear in white light, it shows a fluorescent hourglass pattern under UV light. Probably due to selective inclusion of impurities (hydrocarbons?) along crystallographic faces during crystal growth. Major diagonal is 6cm long.
 | Fluorescence spectrum under 275nm LED. The blue fluorescence color is due to the broad peak between 400nm and 500nm. The sharp and intense peak at 339nm (which looks like to be a doublet) was a surprise. I don't know what is the cause. |
SC284 - Aragonite from Vitošov quarry, Czech Republic
Locality: Vitošov quarry, Šumperk District, Olomouc Region, Czech Republic (MINDAT)
Size: 3 x 4 x 2 cm
Weight: 29g
minID: iADG-F0V
“Fluffy” snow white aragonite. Light blue fluorescent under longwave UV light, with a nice green phosphorescence.
 | Fluorescence spectrum under 275nm LED. The blue fluorescence color is due to the broad peak centered at about 430nm, possibly due to organic impurities. |
SC285 - Almandine Garnet from Broken Hill, New South Wales, Australia
Locality: Broken Hill, Broken Hill district, Yancowinna Co., New South Wales, Australia (MINDAT)
Size: 4 x 3 x 3 cm
Weight: 75 g
minID: L1E-RPM
SC286 - Fluorite from the Eureka Mine, Kentucky, USA
Locality: Eureka Mine, Marion, Crittenden Co., Kentucky, USA (MINDAT)
Size: 11 x 8 x 4 cm
Weight: 400g
Fluorite crystals with small inclusions of sphalerite. The fluorite has the typical blue fluorescence, but at the base of most crystals there is nice yellow/orange fluorescence of the sphalerite. I’m not sure it is sphalerite, but I think it is the most probable suspect… The yellow fluorescence is quite weak,but clearly visible. If you know better about this locality let me know. The field of view in the macro 1 and 2 is about 2 and 1cm, respectively.
SC289 - Tiny diamond cube from Africa
Locality: South Africa
Size: 2.5mm
Weight: 0.2 ct
minID: 9G5-2P9
Tiny diamond cube.
SC290 - Yellow fluorescent diamond from South Africa
Locality: South Africa (MINDAT)
Size: 5 x 5 x 3 mm
Weight: 1.2 ct
minID: 4E0-3U6
Little rough diamond. Nice yellow/green fluorescence under longwave UV light, much much weaker under shortwave.
SC291 - Adamite from the Ojuela Mine, Mexico
Locality: Ojuela Mine, Mapimí, Mapimí Municipality, Durango, Mexico (MINDAT)
Size: 6.5 x 4.5 x 2 cm
Weigth: 60g
minID: YAU-4XH
Green fluorescent adamite.
SC292 - Adamite and Calcite from the Ojuela Mine, Mexico
Locality: Ojuela Mine, Mapimí, Mapimí Municipality, Durango, Mexico (MINDAT)
Size: 6 x 4 x 3 cm
Weigth: 77g
minID: NNV-T7Q
The adamite is greenish under normal light and fluoresces bright green. The calcite is white and fluoresces bluish white.
SC293 - Esperite from Franklin Mine, NJ
Locality: Franklin Mine, Franklin, Franklin Mining District, Sussex County, New Jersey, USA (MINDAT)
Size: 12 x 9 x 5 cm
minID: 9C2-47R
Esperite (FL yellow), calcite (FL red), hardystonite (FL blue) and a little willemite (FL green) from the esperite type locality. A very nice sample of four colors fluorescent rock.
The bright blue spot visible under long wave UV is most likely glue from an old label
 | The fluorescence emission spectra of esperite shows the strong 546 peak of Mn++ replacing Zn++ (other peaks are mercury from the lamp). |
SC294 - Calcozincite from the Sterling Hill Mine, New Jersey, USA
Locality: Sterling Mine, Sterling Hill, Ogdensburg, Franklin Mining District, Sussex County, New Jersey, USA (MINDAT)
Size: 12 x 9 x 3 cm
Weight: 550 g
minID: 0P3-RJ0
Calcozincite (orange) surrounded by calcite (white) with black dots of franklinite. The calcite fluoresces a bright red under shortwave UV light. The calcozincite (a mix of calcite, zincite and tremolite fibers) fluoresces a weaker zoned pink/white. The back size is covered by calcite and franklinite with a little willemite, which fluorescences bright green.
SC295 - Willemite from the Franklin Mine, New Jersey, USA
Locality: Franklin Mine, Franklin, Franklin Mining District, Sussex County, New Jersey, USA (MINDAT)
Size: 8 x 4 x 4 cm
Weight: 145g
minID: 1E7-XQC
Green fluorescent willemite with black franklinite and red zincite.
The fluorescence is extremely intense. It is also “daylight fluorescent”: if outside in a sunny day in the shadow the UV light from the sun is enough to make the sample more green than under artificial light.
SC296 - Willemite and Hardystonite from the Franklin Mine, New Jersey, USA
Locality: Franklin Mine, Franklin, Franklin Mining District, Sussex County, New Jersey, USA (MINDAT)
Size: 11 x 8 x 4 cm
minID: QR9-L10
Green fluorescent willemite with a vein of blue fluorescent hardystonite.
SC297 - Willemite from the Sterling Hill Mine, New Jersey, USA
Locality: Sterling Mine, Sterling Hill, Ogdensburg, Franklin Mining District, Sussex County, New Jersey, USA (MINDAT)
Size: 12 x 9 x 2 cm
minID: CJJ-VGJ
Green fluorescent willemite with a little red fluorescent calcite.
SC298 - Willemite from the Franklin Mine, New Jersey, USA
Locality: Franklin Mine, Franklin, Franklin Mining District, Sussex County, New Jersey, USA (MINDAT)
Size: 6 x 6 x 4 cm
minID: G4C-8A7
Green fluorescent willemite with black franklinite.
SC299 - Clinohedrite, Hardystonite, Willemite from the Franklin Mine, New Jersey, USA
Locality: Franklin Mine, Franklin, Franklin Mining District, Sussex County, New Jersey, USA (MINDAT)
Size: 8 x 5 x 4 cm
minID: WUF-JW3
Clinohedrite (orange) with Hardystonite (blue) and willemite (green). Also, non fluorescent Diopside var Shafferite (platy brown).
SC300 - Agrellite from Kipawa, Quebec, Canada
Locality: Kipawa alkaline complex, Les Lacs-du-Témiscamingue, Témiscamingue RCM, Abitibi-Témiscamingue, Québec, Canada (MINDAT)
Size: 12 x 5 x 2 cm
minID: A26-9F4
Pink fluorescent agrellite from the type locality. White in normal light, fluoresces pink under shortwave or middlewave, more orange under longwave, and redder under blue laser. The orange/red fluorescence is due to manganese (broad band centered at ~580nm) and a mix or rare earth elements (REE), like dysprosium and samarium.
 | The fluorescence spectra from shortwave, longwave, and blue laser show that the main peaks are almost the same, but the relative intensities change, causing the shift in color. |
SC301 - Tremolite, Anthophyllite and Clino-Suenoite from Talcville, NY
Locality: International Talc Company Mine, Talcville, St. Lawrence Co., New York, USA (MINDAT)
Size: 10 x 6 x 2 cm
Weight: 145 g
minID: 7H1-1UY
See on Nature’s Rainbow
Tremolite mixed with anthopyllite and/or clino-suenoite. Under long wave UV light the tremolite fluoresces yellow/orange while the antophyllite/clino-suenoite fluoresces red/violet. Under shortwave UV light or 405nm laser the red/violet essentially disappears and the whole specimen fluoresces yellow/orange. Clino-suenoite changed name quite often (tirodite, manganocummingtonite, …); see UV Waves v50, n3 (2020). As far as I know it is not possible to distinguish the anthopyllite from the clino-suenoite without elemental analysis. Let’s call the red fluorescent mineral(s) “red amphibole” (as the UV Waves article suggested).
 | Four spectra were acquired: two for the tremolite and two for the red amphibole, under 365nm LED and 405nm blue laser. Both tremolite spectra have the same peak at about about 580nm. This should be due to Mn2+ substituting Ca2+. The spectrum of the red amphibole under 365nm led shows a peak at about 650nm (Mn2+ substituting Mg2+ ?), with a shoulder at about 580nm. With the 405nm blue laser the spectrum of the red amphibole shows two clear peaks: one at 580nm and one at 650nm. |
My guess is that the red amphibole spectrum is a mix of the emission of the two minerals: tremolite emitting at 580nm and the red amphibole at 650nm. The red amphibole fluoresces weaker under shortwave UV light or 405nm blue laser, leaving only the tremolite visible. The intensities in the spectra are normalized and cannot be compared. The sharp peak 535nm is leaking (?) from the blue laser.
SC302 - Fluorite cubes with Cerussite from New Mexico, USA
Locality: Blanchard Mine, Bingham, Socorro Co., New Mexico, USA (MINDAT)
Size: 12 x 10 x 7 cm
minID: DQU-66A
See on Nature’s Rainbow
White fluorite cubes covered by secondary lead minerals, mostly (?) cerussite. The cerussite is powdery white, but it covers a translucent mineral which is not (or weakly so) fluorescent. Biggest fluorite cubes are between 8 and 10 mm in size. In the matrix there are some shiny galena cubes, only partially visible.
The fluorescence spectra are typical Europium (Eu2+) activated fluorite and for ceruissite.
 |  |
SC303 - Chalcedony from New Mexico, USA
Locality: Mule Creek, Steeple Rock Mining District, Grant Co., New Mexico, USA (MINDAT)
Size: 5 x 4 x 3 cm
Weight: 57g
minID: 501-AK1
SC304 - Septarian from New Mexico, USA
Locality: Nacimiento Mine, San Pablo, Sandoval Co., New Mexico, USA (MINDAT)
Size: 5 x 3.5 x 2 cm
Weight: 50g
minID: 8JT-PDP
SC305 - Fluorite from New Mexico, USA
Locality: Small Fry prospect, El Rito, El Rito District, Rio Arriba Co., New Mexico, USA (MINDAT)
Size: 4.5 x 4.5 x 1 cm
Weight: 23g
minID: TUP-DT8
SC306 - Vanadinite from J.C. Holmes Mine, Arizona, USA
Locality: J.C. Holmes Mine, Gringo Gulch, Temporal Gulch, Wrightson Mining District, Santa Cruz Co., Arizona, USA (MINDAT)
Size: 5 x 4 x 1.5 cm
Weight: 38 g
minID: 7NK-DD2
SC307 - Petroleum Quartz from Balochistan, Pakistan
Locality: Balochistan Region, Pakistan (MINDAT)
Size: 2 x 1 x 1 cm
Weight: 2.7 g
minID: 3GM-QHL
A nice little quartz crystal, doubly terminated, with lots of yellow oil inclusions. Most are small and “solid”, one is larger, and contains a moving bubble (of what?). Under longwave UV light, the solid inclusions fluoresce a very bright blue, while the larger one has a more yellowish tint (in the photo it is the white/oversaturated blob). Unfortunately I couldn’t capture the difference in the photo…
 | The fluorescence spectrum shows a lot of superimposed peaks in the blue region (400-500nm), with the maximum of emission in the green region (500-550nm). |
SC308 - Benitoite from California State Gem Mine, California
Locality: California State Gem Mine, San Benito Co., California, USA (MINDAT)
Size: 8 x 6 x 5 cm
minID: 9YQ-1YM
Super blue fluorescence! There are a few tiny crystals; the biggest about 3mm.
 | The fluorescence spectra from 275nm led show a broad peak centered at about 406nm. The blue fluorescence should be due to TiO6 groups. |
SC311 - Zircon from Malawi
Locality: Malawi (MINDAT)
Size: 6 x 5 x 5 cm
minID: 2LA-KJT
“Elephant” zircon from Malawi. The crystal is huge! Best fluorescence under shortwave UV light.
 | Broad band centered at 580nm. Fluorescence under 275nm LED light. |
SC312 - Yooper Sodalite from Milwaukee Co., Wisconsin, USA
Locality: Milwaukee Co., Wisconsin, USA (MINDAT)
Size: 4 x 3 x 3 cm
Weight: 64.5 g
minID: MM0-9QU
Sodalite in Syenite, also called with the trademarked name Yooperlite. This is not from the yooperlite “type locality” (Upper Peninsula in Michigan, Lake Superior), but from the nearby Milwaukee County on Lake Michigan. It was collected in northern Milwaukee county along the beach at night. The exact location is not known, but it may have been north of the Schlitz Audubon nature center.
 | Fluorescent spectrum under 365nm LED. Typical for sodalite. |
SC313 - Chalcedony from Milwaukee Co., Wisconsin, USA
Locality: Milwaukee Co., Wisconsin, USA (MINDAT)
Size: 5 x 4 x 4 cm
Weight: 94 g
minID: N1U-HQ7
This was collected in northern Milwaukee county along the beach at night. The exact location is not known but it may have been north of the Schlitz Audubon nature center. I’ve been told these chalcedony nodules are fairly common and have varying degrees of fluorescence, most are a dull yellow tan to a dull orange in color and some show no fluorescence. The element/mineral that causes the fluorescence is not known, but it could be carbonate. On the lake Michigan beaches you can find chalcedony after carbonate pseudomorph of Favosites and Halysites corals and, though this one is not an obvious former fossil, it does have some interesting patterns/structure that make it a possibility.
 | The fluorescent spectrum under 365nm LED shows a broad, composite band centered at about 570nm. Not sure about the activator... Probably carbonates and organic compounds. |
SC314 - Tugtupite and Polylithionite from Taseq Slope, Greenland
Locality: Taseq Slope, Ilímaussaq complex, Narsaq, Kujalleq, Greenland (MINDAT)
Size: 4 x 2 x 2 cm
Weight: 22g
minID: JUK-GYC
The “matrix” is mostly tugtupite (tenebrescent pink) and fluorescent red and orange under shortwave and longwave UV light, respectively. Phosphorescent white under both shortwave and longwave. The top left in the first side is polylithionite, fluorescent yellow/green under shortwave, nothing under longwave. Between the polylithionite and the tugtupite there is a little unknown, fluorescent white/blue(?) mostly under longwave and phosphorescent whitish. The second side is again mostly tugtupite. The bottom right corner is blue/grey, tenebrescent dark red, not much fluorescent under shortwave, and strong orange under longwave. No phosphorescence. I guess it is blue sodalite? The crystal on top of the sodalite is not fluorescent. Don’t know what it is. On the back of the sodalite there is something fluorescing white/blue under shortwave (no photo). The label says there is tugtupite, chkalovite, albite, polylithionite, neptunite, pyrochlore, aegirine, sodalite.
SC315 - Diopside from Lake Valhalla Quarry, New Jersey, USA
Locality: Lake Valhalla Quarry, Montville Township, Morris Co., New Jersey, USA (MINDAT)
Size: 11 x 7 x 7 cm
minID: PP4-KPL
Big chunk of diopside. Nice blue fluorescence under shortwave UV light. Under longwave UV light the color is more yellowish, and even more with a 405nm blue laser. It looks like there is an orange/red flash phosphorescence.
 | I collected three fluorescence spectra under 275nm LED, 365nm LED and 405nm blue laser. The first and second ones show a broad peak at about 435/440 nm. This should be due to nTiO6 groups. It looks like the spectrum under 365nm led is composite with more hidden peaks at about 470nm, 500nm and 580nm. The spectrum under 405nm blue laser is very different. The main peak is now at 580nm, due to Mn2+ replacing Ca2+ and there is a broad peak at about 490nm. I don't know what is the activator for this second peak. (The sharp peak at 536nm is leaking from the blue laser). |
SC316 - Celestine from La Grasta Mine, Italy
Locality: La Grasta Mine, Caltanissetta, Sicily, Italy (MINDAT)
Size: 6 x 4 x 2 cm
Weight: 72g
minID: 901-94Q
Fluorescent blue/white under any wavelength, with greenish phosphorescence. Fluorescence should be due to organic impurities.
 | The main fluorescence peak is barely in the visible range at 400nm (peak at 540nm is probably an artifact). |
SC317 - Celestine from La Grasta Mine, Italy
Locality: La Grasta Mine, Caltanissetta, Sicily, Italy (MINDAT)
Size: 5.5 x 2.5 x 2.5 cm
Weight: 49g
minID: 0C2-XEY
Fluorescent blue/white under any wavelength, with greenish phosphorescence. Fluorescence should be due to organic impurities.
SC318 - Celestine from La Grasta Mine, Italy
Locality: La Grasta Mine, Caltanissetta, Sicily, Italy (MINDAT)
Multiple fragments of celestine. Fluorescent blue/white under any wavelength, with greenish phosphorescence. Fluorescence should be due to organic impurities.
SC319 - Dumortierite from Vaca Morta quarry, Brazil
Locality: Vaca Morta quarry, Serra da Vereda, Boquira, Bahia, Brazil (MINDAT)
Size: 1.5 x 0.5 x 0.5 cm
Weight: 1.6 g
minID: R95-33U
Dumortierite (blue) on both sides of a quartz matrix. The dumortierite fluoresces a nice blue under shortwave UV light. A very small piece…
SC320 - Dumortierite from Vaca Morta quarry, Brazil
Locality: Vaca Morta quarry, Serra da Vereda, Boquira, Bahia, Brazil (MINDAT)
Size: 5.5 x 3 x 2 cm
Weight: 51.5 g
minID: GM6-QE2
Dumortierite (blue) on both sides of a quartz matrix. The dumortierite fluoresces a nice blue under shortwave UV light. Inside the quartz matrix there is an unknown mineral: opaque white under normal light, bright white fluorescence under longwave UV light (no reaction under shortwave light). No idea what it is. It looks like there are more of these white fluorescent pieces inside the quartz.
The fluorescence spectrum of the dumortierite (excitation 275nm led) shows a nice peak at about 390nm, at a shorter wavelength than expected (460nm, Gorobets & Rogojine 2002). The spectrum of the unknown mineral (excitation 365nm led) shows a broad composite peak between 450nm and 550nm.
 |  |
SC321 - Dumortierite from Mazowe, Mozambique
Locality: Mazowe, Changara, Tete Province, Mozambique (MINDAT)
Size: 5 x 4 x 1 cm
Weight: 25.2 g
minID: MPC-P95
Dumortierite polished slice / cabochon.
SC322 - Dumortierite from Mazowe, Mozambique
Locality: Mazowe, Changara, Tete Province, Mozambique (MINDAT)
Size: 4 x 3.5 x 1 cm
Weight: 22.2 g
minID: XCA-1YX
Dumortierite polished slice / cabochon.
SC323 - Tenebrescent Sodalite from Tunulliarfik Fjord, Ilímaussaq, Greenland
Locality: Tunulliarfik Fjord, Ilímaussaq complex, Narsaq, Kujalleq, Greenland (MINDAT)
Size: 9 x 3 x 4 cm
Weight: 131 g
minID: T0J-R4N
Strongly tenebrescent sodalite (var hackmanite). The sodalite becomes a deep purple color after irradiation with longwave and, more strongly, shortwave UV light. Exposure to white light clears the purple color, and the sodalite returns clear (white).
SC324 - Sørensenite from Kvanefjeld, Greenland
Locality: Kvanefjeld, Ilímaussaq complex, Narsaq, Kujalleq, Greenland (MINDAT)
Size: 3.5 x 3 x 2 cm
Weight: 15.4 g
minID: 1X3-EU6
A silicate containing tin and beryllium. Quite rare and only found in Greenland. Nice grey/white fluorescence under both shortwave and longwave UV light. Longwave (365nm LED) photo is with a 420nm yellow filter: there is a lot of blue, which I don’t understand if it is reflection of the UV light or fluorescence. Under longwave part of the sorensenite fluoresces a more yellow/orange color.
 | The fluorescence spectra are quite interesting. With a shortwave 275nm LED excitation there is a broad fluorescence peak at about 440nm with a second peak at about 405nm (543nm is an artifact). With a longwave 365nm LED the spectrum is much more complex with multiple peaks at 440nm, 485nm, 505nm, and 580nm. I don't know the activator(s): TiO6 groups are reported in the literature, and could be the cause of the 440nm broad peak. |
SC325 - Raspberry Garnet from Sierra de Cruces, Mexico
Locality: Sierra de Cruces, Sierra Mojada Municipality, Coahuila, Mexico (MINDAT)
Size: 2.5 x 2 x 2 cm
Weight: 14.4 g
minID: L70-47Q
See on Nature’s Rainbow
Raspberry garnet var grossular, also called Rosolite. The main crystal is about 10mm in size. Nice orange fluorescence under long wave UV light, best under 405nm blue laser (but you need a filter to block the blue light).
 | The fluorescence spectra from a 405nm blue laser shows a broad peak centered at about 610nm due to Mn2+ substituting Ca2+ (the spike at 536nm is from the blue laser). |
SC326 - Amethyst from Artigas, Uruguay
Locality: Artigas Department, Uruguay (MINDAT)
Size: 4 x 5 x 10 cm
Weight: 175 g
minID: XN2-5WP
SC327 - Pumpkin Calcite from Daye Co., China
Locality: Daye Co., Huangshi, Hubei, China (MINDAT)
Size: 8 x 7 x 5 cm
Weight: >200g
minID: N13-U6X
Two generation calcite: the triangular larger first generation dogtooth crystals are overgrown with smaller rhombohedra. From a late 2018 find. (Info & locality guessed from Robert Lavinsky similar specimens on MINDAT)
SC328 - Calcite & Fluorite from Fujian, China
Locality: Fujian, China (MINDAT)
Size: 6 x 7 x 5 cm
Weight: 190g
minID: APH-2R4
Hexagonal or columnar calcite crystals with a little of fluorite.
SC330 - Tugtupite and Sorensenite from Kvanefjeld, Greenland
Locality: Kvanefjeld, Ilímaussaq complex, Narsaq, Kujalleq, Greenland (MINDAT)
Size: 5 x 3 x 3 cm
Weight: 61g
minID: WRT-6LY
The rare mineral sorensenite associated with tugtupite. Best is under shortwave UV light: the sorensenite fluoresces a nice white, while the tugtupite fluoresces bright red. Under longwave UV light there is a lot of orange fluorescence from the tugtupite (and possibly sodalite in the matrix?). The tugtupite is also slightly tenebrescent: it saturates to a slight pink color under exposure to UV light (will bleach to white under artificial white light).
SC331 - Carpathite from Picacho Mine, California, USA
Locality: Picacho Mine, Picacho Peak, New Idria Mining District, San Benito Co., California, USA (MINDAT)
Size: 7 x 5 x 3 cm
Weight: 97g
minID: UTQ-VMM
