/r/FluorescentMinerals
Glowing rocks! [Best viewed in dark mode]
Fluorescent minerals emit colorful visible light when exposed to invisible ultraviolet light. Shortwave mineral lights, longwave LEDs, and even ordinary black lights can activate this luminescence.
Glowing rocks! Fluorescent minerals emit colorful visible light when exposed to invisible ultraviolet light. Shortwave mineral lights, longwave LEDs, and even ordinary black lights can activate this luminescence.
Rules
- Be civil
- Be topical
- Pictures, discussion, and links about fluorescent mineral topics only (no sales talk)
Links
/r/FluorescentMinerals
6,362 Subscribers
Thermoluminescent Chlorophane
Someone asked to see thermoluminescent chlorophane, and I was happy to oblige! I used my heat gun at work to achieve the luminescence.
21:19 UTC
Specimens from Long Lake Canada
00:55 UTC
Chlorophane and its relation to light...
Edit: Added photos, two specimens. The smaller one seems to phosphoresce better than the larger one, but once I get a better UV light, they'll really shine!
I am JUST getting back into rocks since I was like 8, and I recently went on a night dig and we came across a rather large rock that when split, had an incredible vein of chlorophane in it. Needless to say, it was entirely split up amongst our group and I got a piece.
What I am curious about is this minerals relation with light. I know to keep it out of direct light, and it currently is, but is it sunlight only that needs to be avoided? Are fluorescent/incandescent/led alright? Is there a particular wavelength to avoid at all costs? I'm scared to actually look at this thing in any normal indoor light for fear of it losing any of its phosphorescence haha! Any information would be greatly appreciated!
Also, if anyone has any idea of a rough value of what it goes for, I'd be interested to actually know should I consider selling it, but right now I'm not selling.
21:31 UTC
I fudged up and washed my fluorescent minerals with soap and now they are stained blue, but only in UV.
It's mostly in the title, but basically, I had some slabs of a fluorescent mineral made by my friend and they had some saw oil on them still. Forgetting that I already knew this was a problem, I used laundry soap. Well, the oil and dirt came off fine. The problem is when I hit them with the 365 light, any place that doesn't fluoresce normally, now glows a bright blue. I unfortunately knew this soap did this already, but I got so excited and needed to get the oil off, so I forgot to use my brain.
Now, I have tried in the past washing it off and unless I get it right away, it like soaks in, so water doesn't do squat. I tried soaking them in hot water, scrubbing them, nothing. I'm soaking a smaller piece in some rubbing alcohol right now to see if it hopefully does something, but I was wondering if anyone had any suggestions for removing it?
The soap is "ALL free and clear." There is no visible staining until I use a UV light. I have ironout, vinegar, rubbing alcohol and muriatic acid to work with but I'd only be comfortable putting any in vinegar, maybe ironout if someone was pretty sure it would work.
00:27 UTC
Fluorite Replacement Fossils
This is a find that a patron of mine had discovered, so I'm not OP. They did a very interesting write up on this unusual piece which I'm pasting below. Unfortunately I can't answer questions but thought it was interesting and worth sharing. Pictures are in white light and also filtered 365nm light.
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Fossils are the replacement of organic material by other materials. Predominantly those are calcite, silica, and limestone. Then there are the more rare ones like pyrite and opal, but one of the rarest is fluorite.
Fluorite fossils were previously only discovered in Illinois, China, Mexico, and Belgium, until my new discovery in the Garden Peninsula. These fossils, predominantly composed of brown fluorite, are unlike any other, with their origins in a previously undiscovered fossil field.
Brown fluorite, unlike their more common counterparts, are made from organic material, resulting in their distinct coloration. Some specimens exhibit patches of purple fluorite.
What sets these fossils apart is not just their rarity but also their phosphorescent quality. Despite their uniqueness, identifying these fossils can be challenging, with many mistaking them for calcite due to their similar appearance.
Testing these fossils poses its own set of challenges. Kelly from Kelly's Rockshop in Norway, Michigan, is working on publishing a paper about these fossils (but it’s still likely a year or more away), planning to use SEM at Michigan Tech for testing. However, fluorite's electron affinity complicates testing, leading to potential issues with SEM analysis. Calcite and many other potential mistaken minerals are easily ruled out through use of acids. Pieces have been placed in hydrofluoric acid with no etching or reactions. I even left a piece in a cup of vinegar overnight with no reaction, since people often mention that some calcites take longer to react.
Despite these challenges, the study of fluorite fossils continues to be an exciting field. Kelly's son has already published a paper on another fluorite discovery in the UP, so I have confidence they won’t have much trouble.
Stay tuned as some of these fascinating fossils are set to be displayed at the AE Seamans Museum, of Michigan Tech!
20:34 UTC
How do I take decent pictures of fluorescents with a phone camera?
I've been enjoying finding some of the common fluorescent minerals (along with the occasional scorpion) with my son. We have a couple 365nm flashlights, but no other equipment. How can I set up my (Android) phone to take decent photos of our finds?
05:48 UTC
Help with ID? Thought it was some kind of weird blue sandstone. Video is White light, 365,395. Picked it up near the canyonlands in SE Utah
02:48 UTC
Help With Identification
Have a lot of this limestone just don't know what mineral it is that's giving the uv reaction. Anyone know? Help is appreciated.
22:25 UTC
What's this yellow gem?
I got it free with another purchase. The vendor claims that it's citrine, but citrine doesn't fluoresce, right? It doesn't fluoresce under 395 nm or 365 nm, but is a bright orange with my 254 nm light. The picture below is ordinary room light (left) and 254 nm (right). Any ideas what it might be?
20:08 UTC
Some lovely zircons to try facet
04:02 UTC
Has anyone tried those 365nm UV LED flood lights as a display light?
I am looking for a long wave light for a display I am planning on building. I don't believe the display will be any longer than 24 inches wide or deep. I was looking at those 365nm UV LED flood lights as an option. Those are the flat lights with a matrix of LEDs in them. I know I would need to add ZWB2 Glass to the front.
Has anyone tried using one as a display light? They come in various wattages: 30W, 50W, 100W. I was debating between the 30W and 50W, but know the ZWB2 Glass will cut down on what is emitted (compared to the reviews that claim the brightness when used for Halloween or other displays).
02:16 UTC
Finding a Light
Hello, I was wondering what long wave handheld UV flashlight you would recommend for examining fluorescent minerals? Is it worth it to get a more expensive one?
02:03 UTC
I love Calcite
Regular light on left UV on right.
06:09 UTC
A Vision Question.
Hi, completely new. I noticed that looking through the camera lens at my minerals at different wavelengths, that it produces different colors that I either cannot see with my eyes or the colors look different/dull a violet/blue. Is this an indication my eyes could be damaged or is this common when looking at fluorescent minerals through a camera in your guys’s experience?
06:52 UTC