Calcite Cleavage Rhomb - Cave Stone Co. Quarry, Norristown, Indiana
Contributed by: Chris Clemens
Date: Apr 28th, 2026
Locality: Cave Stone Co. Quarry, Norristown, Shelby County, Indiana, USA (See on Mindat)
Size: 40 x 28 x 51 mm
Weight: 88 g
Description:
Although this is not one of my more brightly fluorescent specimens, it nonetheless shows a beautiful response under UV. It is a fractured cleavage rhomb of milky-translucent calcite with an internal honey-colored region, from the Cave Stone Co. Quarry, Norristown, Shelby County, Indiana. Under shortwave UV a dim blue response is seen with a brighter internal zone of moderate orange fluorescence corresponding to the honey-colored region seen in daylight. There are also limited areas that show bright blue phosphorescence when the shortwave source is turned off. Under midwave UV a brighter blue/pink overall response is seen, with an internal zone of brighter pink fluorescence, again corresponding to the honey-colored region. This specimen is only dimly fluorescent under longwave UV (no photos shown). The Cave Stone Co. Quarry location, in Norristown, Indiana, has been closed for years, it is also known for having produced brightly fluorescent Terlingua-type calcite.
Originally posted by Chris Clemens on Nature's Rainbows in 2017.
Summary of luminescence responses:
Calcite (Mindat) (RRUFF)
- Fluorescence under Shortwave (254nm Lamp/Mercury) UV light: Blue
- Fluorescence under Shortwave (254nm Lamp/Mercury) UV light: Yellow
- Afterglow after exposure to Shortwave (254nm Lamp/Mercury) UV light: Blue
- Fluorescence under Midwave (305nm Lamp/Mercury) UV light: Violet
- Fluorescence under Midwave (305nm Lamp/Mercury) UV light: Pink