UV Lights and Fluorescent Minerals - a fun side hobby to metal detecting !

[KingTotsalot]

An interesting Thumbnail specimen arrived today in the Royal Mailbox!

It is a single Fluorapatite crystal from Imilchil, Imilchil Cercele, Midelt Province, Morocco, nicely double terminated. There are many of these crystals photographed from this locality in Mindat.org.

It is from the Sobolewski Collection. Unfortunately, KT does not know who this gentleman was. The first picture is in natural light, the second in LW 365nm, the third in MW 310nm, and the fourth, and last one, is in SW254nm. Interestingly different response in each distinct wavelength.

Anyway, it was remounted in a Perky box (1.25" cube) and will soon be filed away in KT's new Royal M/M and T/N cabinet, in drawer 3 with some others!

Enjoy the pictures!

 

[KingTotsalot]

Found information on John Sobolewski, mentioned in KT's previous post, for those interested at this link: https://www.mindat.org/user-2830.html

 

[KingTotsalot]

A nice specimen arrived today that originated from Franklin, Sussex County, New Jersey.

It weighs in at 1 ib., 6 oz. and consists of grayish to white Calcite,with small spots of intergrown Willemite and non-fluorescent Franklinite (TL). A few spots of Hardystonite (TL) are also present.

The first picture is in natural light, Ed O’Dell’s typical gray to white rock (ha ha). The second picture was taken in LW 365nm, the willemite a bright green and the calcite a weak salmon orangy red. The third picture was taken in MW 310nm, and the willemite is strongly green, the calcite responses an orangy red, and the hardystonite appears as a blue spot in the upper left quadrant of the specimen. The fourth and last picture is in SW 254nm, and the calcite is a reddish orange, the willemite still a strong green, and the hardystonite is blue.

It is interesting the color change of the calcite in various wavelengths and the lack of fluorescence of the hardystonite in LW. The willemite has a moderately strong green phosphorescence after exposure to SW. No attempt was made to photograph the phosphorescence.

Enjoy the pictures!

 

[KingTotsalot]

Another specimen from Franklin, Sussex County, New Jersey.

This one consists of an approximately 1” polished cube of calcite and willemite. The picture was taken so that you are looking down a 3-fold rotational axis, to get the most area in the field of view.

The first picture is in natural light, the recognizable minerals are cream colored calcite, and sparse black non-fluorescent franklinite. The second picture is in LW 365nm, and the calcite is a maroon color and the willemite is a bright green to white and is in rodlike streaks, which to KT is an unusual texture as it is normally more equidimensional crystals in the host calcite. The third picture isin MW 310nm, and the calcite responds with a deep reddish orange color, willemite is still green. Me thinketh this photo displays the texture best. The fourth photo is in SW 254nm, the classic wavelength for this mineral combo from this site. The calcite is mottled orange and maroon, and the willemite is still a strong green.

Note the difference in the texture of this specimen when compared to the previous posting. This specimen fits nicely in a 1.25” perky box!

Enjoy the pictures!

 

[KingTotsalot]

This starts a lengthy series of pictures of fluorescent minerals KT gleaned from the freebie tables of the 6th
Annual Central US Micro-Mount Symposium that His Majesty attended in Lexington, KY, last week!

The first specimen is a calcite infilled quartz nodule, similar to a filled geode, that came from Big Hill, Marion County, Kentucky. The first picture is in natural light and the second is in MW 310nm. The calcite has no SW and very dim LW response. It is the first mineral KT ever encountered that is really much nicer in MW than in any other UV wavelength!

Enjoy the pics!

 

[KingTotsalot]

Thanks to a friend, Steve Bonney, for the gift of this specimen at the afore mentioned Symposium!

This K-feldspar dominated rock is the host rock for many of the micromount minerals so many collectors find interesting. This one has only a couple of small vugs so for most folks the rock is not worth collecting. However, sometimes one needs to take a different approach!

This miniature specimen is from Granite Mountain Quarry #1 in Pulaski County, Arkansas. The first picture is in natural light. The second picture is in MW 310nm, with unknown minerals fluorescing in two of the cavities, perhaps calcite. The third picture is in SW 254nm, with distinctive lathlike textures of K-feldspar fluorescing a nice red color, some with non-fluorescing cores. KT suspects that albite is coating and or replacing the earlier Orthoclase or Microcline, tho the rock has been examined petrographically and is said to contain a dominance of Orthoclase.

Most normal mineral collectors would just toss this in the discard pile after looking at it under the scope! KT appreciates Steve saving it for His Majesty to examine with the Royal UV lights….by the way, there is no response under LW...kind of surprising since sodalite is fairly common in this rock and always fluoresces a bright orange.

Anyway, enjoy the pictures!

 

[KingTotsalot]

More gifts from Steve Bonney!

From a small bag with 5-6 pieces, KT picked out three that had interesting fluorescence.

The fluorescent mineral is late white platy calcite in a small vein in a syenite host rock from the 3M Quarry, Little Rock, Pulaski County,Arkansas. His Majesty photographed 2 of the 3 specimens. The calcite has no response in either LW or SW, only MW 310nm.

The first photograph is of the first specimen in natural light. The second photograph is also of the first specimen in MW 310nm. Magnification is 15X.

The first photograph of the second specimen is in natural light. Its second photograph is in MW 310nm. The calcite is fragile and mostly presents as cleavages of late infilling material that either during blasting or collecting efforts end up with no crystal faces preserved.

Anyway, enjoy the pictures!

 

[KingTotsalot]

Two fluorescent samples from the freebie tables at the 2024 6th CUSMS gathering. These specimens are from the Moose Creek Pegmatite of the Ice River Alkaline Complex in British Columbia, Canada.

There are several minerals present. The two pieces appear to be from a contact with a K-feldspar vein(?) and the host syenitic rock. This specimen presented an interesting problem as some, if not each mineral present, only responded to LW, SW, or MW. So, because the samples were somewhat blocky, KT chose to have 3 different views, one of the syenite matrix(01), one of the vein-syenite contact(02), and one of just the K-feldspar(03).

Starting with view 01, the first picture is in natural light, and the second picture is in LW 365nm. Sodalite is the predominant fluorescing mineral, responding yellow orange.

With view 02, the first picture is in natural light and displays the contact between the light colored K-feldspar and the grayish syenite matrix. The second picture is in MW 310nm and the larger orange spots are likely calcite. Some fine-grained orange is in the syenite and might be sodalite or perhaps also calcite.

With view 03, the first picture is in natural light of the K-feldspar. The second picture is in SW 254nm, showing the pink red response of the K-feldspar.

So no matter which UV light, depending on the specimen's orientation, the viewer sees some fluorescence. For this reason, these pieces will not be mounted in a perky box, but left loose in a 1.75” paper box with their label.

Enjoy the pictures!

 

[KingTotsalot]

A single specimen of Calcite on Sphalerite (NF) from Dalnegorsk, Primorsky Krai, Russia, obtained from the freebie tables at the 6th CUSMS gathering last week. KT checked this specimen with his Royal LW 365nm lamp to see if the sphalerite fluoresced, but nothing responded. But to His Majesty's surprise the calcite on the specimen had a nice response to MW310nm, and was dead to SW 254nm.

This is the second specimen KT has photographed with the Royal microscope, using a 3 axis adjustable mount for the Royal cell phone, a Google Pixel 7. This time KT was able to get a decent focus and a rectangular image and cropped each to get the 2 pictures. Both images were taken at 15X.

While looking up this locality in Mindat.org, KT found there are at least 3, and maybe more, lead-zinc mines having sphalerite, galena, calcite and quartz present, so He cannot pin the location any closer than the location given above, which is a community within the mining district.

The first picture is in natural light and the second is in MW 310nm, with the calcite responding in a bright pink red color.

Enjoy the images!

 

[KingTotsalot]

A fluorescent garnet specimen found on the freebie tables at the 6th Annual CUSMS gathering!

This specimen is labeled Grossular garnet from Mont St. Hilaire, Quebec, Canada. All pictures are 24X.

The first picture is in natural light. The second is in MW 310nm, and the garnet has a strong lemon yellow response. MW response is much stronger to the naked eye than the SW response, despite very similar appearing response in the photograph. The third picture is in SW 254nm, and the garnet is a strong yellow.

Despite similar looking photos, the second picture in MW is much more intense to the naked eye than the SW response.

One of the few fluorescent garnets in The Royal Fluorescent Collection! Glad to get this one!

 

[KingTotsalot]

Fluorescent Calcite in geodes.

These two specimens are from Hall’s Gap, Lincoln County, Kentucky. Ed O’Dell was kind enough to take KT there one time, and He found a lot of solid concretions, but not one decent geode. The site is famous for its nests of Millerite, within the hollow space of the geodes. Anyway, these specimens do not contain any Millerite, but do contain some white calcite.

The first picture is in natural light. The second picture is in LW365nm. The third picture is in MW 310nm, and the 4th picture is in SW 254nm. In both MW and SW, the calcite exhibits some moderate phosphorescence when the lamps are turned off. A pale greenish white for a short time.

Enjoy the pictures!

 

[stetam]

I love those pics!

Steve

 

[KingTotsalot]

I love those pics!

Steve

Thanks, Steve! KT gets a fair number of looks at the images, but hardly anyone ever comments about them, so He appreciates your comment greatly!

 

[KingTotsalot]

Two fluorescent specimens that were in a box of specimens at the 6th Annual CUSMMS gathering.

Both specimens are from the Martin-Marietta Quarry, Hot Spring Co., Arkansas and taken at 15X. The first specimen consists of a K-feldspar vein on gray syenite matrix. The first picture is in natural light and displays nothing particularly unusual. The minerals have no response in LW 365nm. The second picture is in MW 310nm and a few small specks have a strong blue white response. The third picture is in SW254nm and the K-feldspar responds with a deep red and the small spots are still blue white. KT can only assume the small spots are Benitoite, even tho there are no classic sky blue crystals on the specimen. H. Barwood reported find fluorescent (blue white) Benitoite from the Diamond Jo Quarry nearby. KT does not recall seeing a Barwood photograph of that mineral.

The second specimen, from the same location, consists of a coating of small somewhat blocky crystals of calcite on the matrix rock. The first picture is in natural light and the second picture is in MW310nm. There is no response to either LW or SW by this specimen. Also taken at 15X.

Enjoy the pictures!

 

[KingTotsalot]

Some specimens labeled Willemite from Mont St. Hilaire, Quebec, Canada…….

Were a topic of discussion between Steve Stuart and His Majesty at the 6th Annual CUSMMS gathering. Labeled Willemite, and they had a nice green SW fluorescence, KT had never seen the form they existed, which was needle-like. Stuart had taken some pictures and gave me a pair, and I took a couple of examples to have some examples for the Royal Fluorescent Collection.

A few days after returning home from the gathering, KT got an email from Steve. He had done further investigation into this mineral and realized it was not Willemite, but Elpidite! KT was glad to get this information as it made more sense geologically to His Majesty. So KT gets to relabel the specimens as He comes across them and put into the Royal collection!

Thanks Steve! Enjoy his pictures!

 

[KingTotsalot]

A sodalite specimen picked off the KY 6th Annual CUSMS gathering freebie tables!

This specimen is mounted in a 1.25” Perky Box. The scale...lines are 1mm between each, the long lines are 5mm between each long line.

The first picture was taken in natural light, the second pic taken in LW 365nm, showing a nice golden orange response. The third picture is taken in MW 310nm, giving a duller, but more orange response. The fourth picture is in SW 254nm, and the sodalite is giving a dull, distinctively pinkish red response.

This multiple response is typical for sodalite from the locality….Mont St. Hilaire, Quebec, Canada.
Arkansas sodalite, thus far, has only been responsive to LW, not MW or SW.

Enjoy the pictures!

 

[KingTotsalot]

Some specimens from Arkansas!

These two specimens are gifts from Meredith York, KT's long time friend and mineral collecting buddy. The first specimen is an Aragonite epimorph of calcite, the calcite having dissolved away, leaving its crystal face impressions on the back of the thin aragonite crust. From the Monte Cristo Mine, Rush Zn District, Marion Co., Arkansas, now locked and gated by US National River folks as a bat habitat. Baa Humbug!

The first picture is in natural light, the second is in LW 365nm, the third picture is in MW 310nm, and the fourth picture is in SW 254nm. The specimen is phosphorescent in SW, a weak greenish white. No attempt was made to photograph the phosphorescence as it is both too weak and brief.

The second specimen is a primary late calcite crystal from the same locality. You are viewing the underside, cleaved portion, that has been cleaned in weak HCl, thus the wet look. The first picture is in natural light, the second is in LW 365nm, the third in MW 310nm. To the eye, the midwave response is a fairly strong pink with no blue, but to the camera, apparently the internal cleavages prevent seeing that in the image so it shows up a patchy pink and blue, rather odd looking. The fourth picture is in SW 254nm. Notice the more yellow orange response in LW vs. the orange response in SW.

Both these specimens are mounted with mineral tack in 1.25” Perky boxes.

Enjoy the pictures!

 

[KingTotsalot]

KT is back again with a combination specimen from New Jersey!

This specimen consists of Dolomite, Calcite and sparse Sphalerite from the Sterling Hill Mine, Ogdensburg, Sussex County, New Jersey. A nice fist sized specimen. The rock is actually the contact between the dolomite and the calcite with a strong contrast in both natural and UV light.

The first picture is in natural light. The second is in LW 365nm, with the Dolomite responding white, the Calcite a maroon red, and the Sphalerite as bright orange spots scattered about. The third picture is in MW 310nm and the Dolomite is responding white, the Calcite reddish orange, and the Sphalerite is non-responsive. The fourth picture is in SW 254nm and the Dolomite is pinkish, the Calcite is red orange, Sphalerite is non-responsive.

Enjoy the pictures!

 

[KingTotsalot]

Back to a couple of specimens from the 2024 KY CUSMS gathering!

These two specimens are from the Moose Creek Valley Pegmatite, Ice River Alkaline Complex, British Colombia, Canada. There are a number of minerals contained with in this sample, noted on the original label,including Catapleiite, Gonnardite, Sodalite, Ancylite-Ce, Calcite,Gibbsite, Barite, and Hydroxylapatite. Of those, the fluorescent mineral, based on its habit and wavelength response, is likely Hydroxylapatite. There were numerous pieces in the tray, but KT picked out the two best fluorescent ones for His Royal Fluorescent Mineral Collection. These two specimens will be stored together in a small black paper box.

The first picture is in natural light, the second one in MW 310nm, and the third in SW 254nm. There was a little response in dull red from the K-feldspar, composing most of the matrix, in LW 365nm, but not worth photographing.

Enjoy the pictures!

 

[KingTotsalot]

Another mineral from the freebie table!

This was labeled Lavenite (yellow tufts) and ? (Sodalite) from the De-Mix Varens Quarry, Sain Amable Sill, Quebec, Canada. The non-fluorescent tannish yellow patches are the Lavenite.

The first picture is in natural light, the second is in LW 365nm and the third is in MW 310nm. No response in SW. His Majesty mounted 2 specimens in a single Perky Box (1.25” cube), and still has 3 to trade or give away. 15X is sufficient to see the sprays of Lavenite.

The Sodalite has its typical orange response in LW, and somewhat of a response in MW. KT does not know what is fluorescing blue-white in Midwave.

Enjoy the pictures!