Calcite, AL Highway 75 road cut, Blount Co., AL
Contributed by: FMS Admin
Date: Mar 1st, 2026
Locality: Blount County, Alabama, USA (See on Mindat)
Size: 6 x 3 x 7 cm
Weight: 140 g
Description:
This piece fluoresces strongly enough under either LW or SW UV to hold its own in displays that contain my brightest fluorescers from around the world. Note that the array of colors produced is slightly different under LW versus SW UV. Note also that both fluorescent and nonfluorescent zones are evident in the specimen and that some of the fluorescence appears to follow certain linear seams or fracture planes within the crystals. These characteristics are typical of organically activated calcites, which are widely abundant in limestone deposits in roughly the northern half of Alabama. I enjoyed several trips to this location until I was ultimately evicted by a state trooper.
Originally published by Bill Fowler on Nature’s Rainbows.
Summary of luminescence responses:
Calcite (Mindat) (RRUFF)
- Fluorescence under Longwave (365nm LED) UV light: White