> fluorescent mineral list

Fluorescent Minerals from Franklin and Sterling Hill, N.J.

A 1998 Check-list based on observations, by Richard C. Bostwick

These descriptions are necessarily brief and hence simplistic. The ultraviolet wavelength (SW or LW) listed with a fluorescent response is the wavelength for which the response is stronger; many listed minerals fluoresce under both LW and SW. 

Unusual fluorescent responses are listed in parentheses. Fluorescent intensity and subtle differences in hue are not mentioned. While mineral fluorescence is a powerful tool for rapid mineral identification, it should be used in conjunction with other identification techniques.

Key: FL = fluoresces; PH = phosphoresces; SW = short-wave ultraviolet radiation; LW = long-wave ultraviolet radiation

Albite: FL red SW
Aragonite: FL/PH cream LW (FL green SW)
Barite: FL cream SW (FL/PH yellow SW/LW, FL white SW and pale green LW)
Barylite: FL violet SW, conspicuous under iron arc
Bassanite: Fl/PH violet SW
Bustamite: FL cherry red LW
Cahnite: FL/PH cream SW
Calcite: FL orange-red SW with brief red-orange PH (Also FL pink, orange, cream, white, green, blue, yellow, violet, etc.)
Canavesite: Fl/PH violet LW
Celestine: FL/PH cream LW (FL violet SW)
Cerussite: FL yellow LW
Chabazite: FL green SW
Charlesite: FL pale blue SW, coated with cream-FL gypsum
Chondrodite: FL yellow, yellow-orange SW
Clinohedrite: FL/PH orange SW
Corundum: FL cherry-red LW
Cuspidine: FL orange-yellow SW with brief orange-red PH
Datolite: FL cream SW
Diopside: FL blue SW. cream LW
Dypingite: FL/PH blue SW/LW
Epsomite: FL cream LW
Esperite: FL lemon-yellow SW
Fluoborite: FL cream SW
Fluorapatite: FL orange or blue SW (FL "peach" SW)
Fluorapophyllite: FL/PH white SW
Fluorite: FL/PH blue-green SW/LW, FL violet-blue LW (FL white LW)
Guerinite: FL/PH white SW
Gypsum: FL/PH cream, pale blue, pale violet SW
Hardystonite: FL violet to violet-blue SW/LW
Hedyphane: FL cream, orange SW
Hemimorphite: FL/PH white LW (FL green SW)
Hodgkinsonite: FL deep cherry red LW
Humite: rarely FL pale yellow SW
Hyalophane: FL red SW
Hydrotalcite: FL cream LW
Hydroxyapophyllite: FL/PH weak white SW
Johnbaumite: FL orange SW
Junitoite: FL pale yellow LW
Magnesiohornblende: FL greenish-blue SW
Manganaxinite: FL red SW
Margarite: FL yellow SW/LW
Margarosanite: FL blue & red SW (FL orange LW)
Marialite: FL yellow SW and pink LW
Mcallisterite: FL cream SW
Meionite: FL pinkish-red SW (Also FL pink, orange, yellow, cream LW/SW)
Meta-ankoleite: FL green SW
Metalodevite: FL green SW
Microcline: FL blue or red SW
Minehillite: FL violet SW
Monohydrocalcite: FL green SW + white PH
Nasonite: FL pale yellow SW
Newberyite: FL cream SW
Norbergite: FL yellow SW
Pargasite: FL greenish-blue SW
Pectolite: FL/PH orange SW
Pharmacolite: FL weak violet SW
Phlogopite-1M: FL yellow SW
Picropharmacolite: FL/PH white LW
Powellite: FL yellow SW
Prehnite: FL orangeish pink SW
Quartz: FL yellow or green SW
Roeblingite: FL red SW with brief red-orange PH
Samfowlerite: FL weak red SW
Smithsonite: FL/PH white SW
Sphalerite: FL, PH orange, yellow-orange, orange-yellow, and blue LW
Spinel: FL cherry-red LW
Strontianite: FL violet SW/LW
Talc: FL cream SW
Thomsonite: FL cream SW
Tilasite: FL yellow SW
Titanite: FL yellow-orange SW
Tremolite: FL blue SW (yellow LW)
Turneaureite: Fl orange SW
Uranospinite: FL green SW
Uvite: FL yellow SW
Willemite: FL/PH green SW (FL, PH yellow, greenish-yellow, orange, pale blue SW)
Wollastonite: FL/PH orange to yellow SW
Xonotlite: FL violet SW
Zincite: FL yellow LW/SW
Zircon: FL orange SW
Znucalite: FL green SW

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