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!

Petrified Wood (Chalcedony) from Western North Dakota, USA

Contributed by: Mark Cole
minID:
Date: Jan 20th, 2025
Locality: North Dakota, USA (See on Mindat)
Size: 6 x 3.5 x 9 inches
Weight: 8 lb

Description:
A member of our Fluorescent Mineral group on FB wanted some pics of some beautiful petrified wood he found way out in the wilderness in North Dakota. I offered my services and he decided to ship a \"thumbnail\" out to me (it barely fit in my photography studio!). Very pretty material, fluorescent under all wavelengths. The green fluorescence under SW is obviously the opalized wood likely activated by the uranyl ion. Not sure what the orange fluorescence is from. It appears to be from a darker opalized seam of wood (not the bark as I initially suspected). Likely organic activators, but really not sure. Minerals are likely a combination of chalcedony and opal/agate.

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

Summary of luminescence responses:

Petrified Wood

  • Fluorescence under Shortwave (254nm Lamp/Mercury) UV light: Orange
  • Fluorescence under Shortwave (254nm Lamp/Mercury) UV light: Green
Chalcedony
  • Fluorescence under Shortwave (254nm Lamp/Mercury) UV light: Green

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