Fluorescence    Workgroup
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The Mineralogical Society of Antwerp has invested much in the "Fluorescent Minerals Workgroup".  Our goal is to gather as much information as possible about luminescence and its causes and present it to the public.  The acquisition of a spectrometer and the necessary literature allow us to make an important contribution to the reservoir of knowledge that is available to the mineral collector on the Internet.
The MKA abroad...
The MKA abroad...

Fluorescence display at the Oxford Museum of Natural History. Photos made by Axel Emmermann of specimens of werkgroup members. These photos were printed on glass plates and set in the walls and roof of the display. Back-lighting creates the impression that the visitor is looking at fluorescent minerals.

This is perhaps the least banal fluorescent display in the world!
Swedenborgite
Swedenborgite
25 March, 2021
A very small crystal in a sea of fierce red fluorescence. Hard to photograph and hard to measure the spectrum. But we do not waver! We go through great lengths to satisfy the 'glowhound at large'. Thus, especially for you: swedenborgite explained. Hurry, go see....
Wulfenite for glowhounds?
Wulfenite for glowhounds?
13 February, 2021
Wulfenite, little seen in fluorescent cabinets... It doesn't always fluoresce and never strong enough. The trick is to focus enough strong UV on it. Check it out!
Sphalerite from China
Sphalerite from China
04 February, 2021
This sphalerite variety called marmatite is almost black and black minerals don't fluoresce! Have the Chinese somehow found a magic trick to make this happen? Or is there a more logical explanation? Go read all about it!
For the sake of completeness
31 January, 2021
I added a photo of pyromorphite in 365 nm LED UV. That was missing in the series of images.
Pyromorphite
Pyromorphite
29 January, 2021
The fluorescence of this mineral is not 'clear cut',
I 've been looking for an explanation for quite some time know. eventually I came to the conclusion that there's more than one activator and that we have to consider each specimen on itself. This one 's a beauty.., quickly go see!
Vesuvianite straight from the forge
Vesuvianite straight from the forge
08 June, 2020
Vesuvianite doesn't always fluoresce, but when it does it is a beauty. Another feat of manganese but too much of this activator is bad fo the fluorescence. Go see this clear example of concentration quenching. There's a spectrum too... just click on the prism icon.
Talc incognito...
Talc incognito...
08 May, 2020
From a locality that has been well known since the early 19th century comes this talc. It's a pseudomorphosis after quartz with perfectly preserved crystals form. You may want to know why it fluoresces? Well, it's all there for you, just click on the prism...
Scheelite spectra
Scheelite spectra
01 May, 2020
The rare earth elements content of minerals is very dependent on the way that they are formed. The spectra of this scheelite show that there is much more to its fluorescence than meets the eye. Click on the prism when you're there.
General overhaul
01 May, 2020
The COVID-19 crisis served one purpose, at least... It got me to overhaul the site and make some aesthetic improvements and solve some problems with layout. Specimen photos and spectra now all have titles ABOVE the items, which is a lot less confusing and improves clarity..
Baryte from Devon
Baryte from Devon
27 February, 2020
A find by Tom Costes again... fiercely fluorescing baryte crystals on a matrix of weaker glowing calcite. Naturally we dove into the science behind it and we found out that, surprisingly, the emission perfectly matches the baryte found in the Sterling Hill mine! Read all about it!
Villiaumite spectrum
Villiaumite spectrum
21 February, 2020
For those who like to dabble in spectroscopy:
I published a spectrum of villiaumite. Go get it...
Fluorite, var. Yttrofluorite
Fluorite, var. Yttrofluorite
21 February, 2020
Quite different from the 'usual' blue fluorescence of fluorite is the fluorescence of  this specimen... A fluorite that is riddled with rare earth elements. Go see it (and its spectrum).
About 'how we measure spectra'
About 'how we measure spectra'
10 December, 2018
We added a new section to the website about how we measure spectra of fluorescent minerals. You'll also find there what we calibrate, why, and how we do this.
Spodumene and lasers
Spodumene and lasers
29 May, 2018
This spodumene group was hacked out of a Finnish pegmatite. It doesn't do much in "ordinairy" UV, but it fluoresces strong in violet laser light.
Spodumene or burst ;-)
Spodumene or burst ;-)
20 April, 2018
Although much weaker qua fluorescence, this spodumene crystal reacts almost identical to the one below qua color. It was fished, nevertheless, from an entirely different pond...
Kunzite
Kunzite
19 April, 2018
Spodumene, var. kunzite is alway good for an interesting read... With spectrum and complete explanation.
Tunellite
Tunellite
16 April, 2018
One of the less common borate minerals.
Not very spectacular but still "interesting".
Tampa Bay Area Coral
Tampa Bay Area Coral
05 April, 2018
Very good photos by Doug Bank. Fluorescence and phosphorescence of this pretty coral.
Red Coral from Alska
Red Coral from Alska
05 April, 2018
A nice series of photos by my internet buddy Doug Bank. Everything you always wanted to know about coral but were afraid to ask.
Hyalite AKA glass opal
Hyalite AKA glass opal
27 March, 2018
A very fine hyalite from Valeč, from the collection of Raymond Dedeyne. Photos in halogen light, SW-UV, and, as a playful 'slip of the lens', in blue and red light... The latter has no scientific value, just a way to honor a really aesthetic specimen.
Fluorescent skeleton growth
Fluorescent skeleton growth
18 March, 2018
The dolomite specimen is lost forever. Luckily we still have the photo to enjoy.
Calcite
Calcite
11 March, 2018
a soft pink from the La Lesse Quarry in Resteigne. Higly enjoyable!
Natrolite
Natrolite
11 March, 2018
New and in mint condition; natrolite from MSH. Ex collection Georges Claeys.
Fossils!
Fossils!
08 March, 2018
Some fossils do fluoresce. So, a section devoted to these fossils is long overdue. For you to enjoy, the first few...
Borax
Borax
25 February, 2018
Another victim of the calcium-humic acids complex. Go see it, free of charge.
Chromian tremolite (tremolite-Cr)
Chromian tremolite (tremolite-Cr)
09 February, 2018
This chromian tremolite is colored deep green by chromium. Nevertheless, this is not the cause of the fluorescence. Go read the true story.
Belgian smithsonite
Belgian smithsonite
31 January, 2018
One of the lesser known fluorescent minerals from Belgium: smithsonite. This specimen from Altenberg was brought to our attention by François Wouters on our club’s determination day. It was identified by means of the fluorescence spectrum.
Slag from Greece
Slag from Greece
23 January, 2018
From the
ancient slag
locality of
Passa Limani, come these fluorescing beauties. One of which shows a rmarkable intergrowt of aragonite and cerussite. This changes the fluorescence from greenish to yellow. The mix is often mistaken for tarnowitzite.
Esperite, calcite, willemite
Esperite, calcite, willemite
22 September, 2017
Real eyecatchers, those combos from Franklin, New Jersey... You can see the comparative spectra of these three minerals here.
Caracolite, the unknown
Caracolite, the unknown
19 September, 2017
Caracolite is not generally known as a fluorescent mineral. Still, it's worth taking a closer look because its fluorescence happens predominantly in the ultraviolet part of the spectrum.
Black calcite
Black calcite
11 April, 2017
The specimen shows deep grooves that are filled with a strongly fluorescent mineral substance. Best seen in violet laser light.
Creedite
Creedite
27 March, 2017
is not really known for fluorescent properties.
I acquired this pretty specimen for the ridiculous sum of € 3.00. "Inekes day" is a kind of micro mineral show organised by one of our members Ine Van Dijck. It's THE place for bargains like this.
Stilbite
Stilbite
03 March, 2017
It's been a while since we published a fluorescent silicate mineral. This stilbite specimen from India may interest you.
Tyuyamunite
Tyuyamunite
27 February, 2017
Bright fluorescence of this calcium uranyl vanadate. Photo in 405 nm laser light. The spectra in cm-1 and Absolute Spectral Irradiance are freely downloadable.
Wavellite
Wavellite
27 February, 2017
Bright fluorescence of tar and other organic substances in this specimen. Photo taken in violet laser light.
A scheelite-calcite combo
A scheelite-calcite combo
03 February, 2017
Oh, you want to see this one... I'm sure of it! It's in the sulphates section.
New borates posted!
New borates posted!
03 February, 2017
A LOT of new borate minerals from Turkey have been posted. Pretty ones too. You really should have a look at these!
Somewhat less common
Somewhat less common
31 January, 2017
Not the "run of the mill" fluorescence! Amazing what a little humic acids can achieve. Worth you attention!
Ulexite on colemaniet
Ulexite on colemaniet
31 January, 2017
Ulexite is not often fluorescent, it appears. Sometimes, however, it may lend some of the surrounding minerals' fluorecence. Like colemanite, for example.
Colemanite "floater"
Colemanite "floater"
29 January, 2017
A wonderful large, double terminated colemanite twin of approx. 12 cm. Not the fiercest fluorescence but still pretty enough to check it out!
Cahnite, an arsenoborate
Cahnite, an arsenoborate
29 January, 2017
Arsenoborates seem to have a preference for yellow when it comes to fluorescence. Cahnite should be rare enough to capture your attention!
Cahnite on colemanite
Cahnite on colemanite
29 January, 2017
Small warths of rare cahnite on larger crystals of colemanite. Both fluorescent, something to dream of... or go see for yourself!
Colemanite: orange fluorescence?
Colemanite: orange fluorescence?
27 January, 2017
How weird does it get? An metallo-organic substance causes this peculiar fuorescence.
Read all about it!
Dolomite, La Union, Murcia, Spain
Dolomite, La Union, Murcia, Spain
26 January, 2017
Again a photo taken under the unforgiving light of a violet laser. For your entertainment!
Laser light photography
Laser light photography
24 January, 2017
Fluorescent mineral photography in violet laser light is a formidable challenge. This cerussite specimen is most certainly worth your attention!
Cupro-powellite or powellite-Cu?
Cupro-powellite or powellite-Cu?
25 December, 2016
Another and less common mineral landed on the website.Powellite-Cu. A pretty one at that, if you compare it to the photos on MinDat. It comes with a downloadable spectrum. Enjoy and Merry Christmas.
Spectrum of powellite
24 December, 2016
A downloadable absolute spectral irradiation spectrum of powellite is now online. Have fun with it!
Another anglesite
Another anglesite
23 December, 2016
I have this one in my collection for some decennia already. I just recently managed to make a decent photo of it.
Exsolution lamellae
Exsolution lamellae
16 December, 2016
The whole story about willemite exsolution... read all about it!
A cool combo
A cool combo
05 December, 2016
Grey and red go well together. A cool combo from Sicily. You want to check it out!
Yellow fluorescing Quartz
Yellow fluorescing Quartz
09 September, 2016
This quartz has a really weird fluorescence that is still largely unexplained. The spectrum (Absolute Irradiation) is available for download.
Apatite Mount St Hillaire
Apatite Mount St Hillaire
11 August, 2016
I just posted a very nice apatite specimen. Classic locality, somewhat less classic fluorescence!
Page about fluorescence added
06 August, 2016
I added the section 'what is fluorescence'. Many thanks to Vik Vanrusselt for translating it.
Blog added
09 August, 2016
All major additions and changes made to this website will be posted on this blog. An easy way for you to check if you're "up to speed".

Raw data available for download
Raw data available for download
09 August, 2016
For those who like to tinker with convolution / deconvolution of spectral data: the raw data of measurements of cerussite, carpathite and fluorite (Frazer's Hush) were made available for download. More will follow. If you want them: go to the spectra and click on the download icon.
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Copyright © 2014 by Axel Emmermann  ·  All Rights reserved  ·  E-Mail: fluorescentie@minerant.org
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