Fluorescent Mineral Database

A new secret project! Trying to create a nice Fluorescent Mineral Database (FMDB), which would be searchable by mineral, locality, and luminescence properties. Also making it easy for people to contribute with their own specimens!

Lazurite with shiny stars

Contributed by: FMS Admin
Date: Nov 14th, 2025
Locality: Kokcha Valley, Badakhshan, Afghanistan (See on Mindat)

Description:
A specimen containing lazurite crystals and phlogopite (visible under 275 nm), Koksha valley, Badakhshan, Afghanistan. The lazurite contains veins of a yellow fluorescent mineral under 365 nm. We performed an EDX analysis on the lazurite and the veins. The lazurite is confirmed as being \"real\" lazurite (contains enough sulphur in the S3). The yellow veins are afghanite. Lazurite covering afghanite is well known since lazurite crystallizes in the latest stages of mineral formation. The afghanite also shows its typical emission spectrum.

Originally posted by groensteenfreterke on Nature’s Rainbow.

Fluorescence under longwave UV light.
Fluorescence under longwave UV light.
Normal light.
Normal light.
Fluorescence under shortwave UV light.
Fluorescence under shortwave UV light.

Summary of luminescence responses:

Afghanite (Mindat) (RRUFF)

  • Fluorescence under Longwave (365nm LED) UV light: Orange
Phlogopite (Mindat) (RRUFF)
  • Fluorescence under 275nm LED UV light: Yellow

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