Fluorescent Mineral Database

Horn Silver Sphalerite, it has it all!

Contributed by: FMS Admin
Date: May 7th, 2026
Locality: Horn Silver Mine, Frisco, San Francisco Mining District, Beaver County, Utah, USA (See on Mindat)
Size: 3.5 x 5 inches

Description:
Horn Silver sphalerite is one of our favorite materials. Fluorescent in all wavelengths with an amazing array of colors, phosphorescent, and triboluminescent to boot. Here is a great specimen from one of the early collectors who had access to the material from the Horn Silver Mine in Utah. Previous posts have some great information about the mine.

Three sides of the specimen are shown in LW, LW phosphorescence, MW, SW and normal light. As a fun addition, we have added a triboluminescent image of the third side. Amazingly, the material even glows with a scratch of a fingernail.

Originally posted by Fire Viper on Nature's Rainbows in 2018.

Fluorescence under longwave UV light.
Fluorescence under longwave UV light.
Afterglow after exposure to longwave UV light.
Afterglow after exposure to longwave UV light.
Fluorescence under midwave UV light.
Fluorescence under midwave UV light.
Fluorescence under shortwave UV light.
Fluorescence under shortwave UV light.
Normal light.
Normal light.
Fluorescence under longwave UV light. Side 2.
Fluorescence under longwave UV light. Side 2.
Afterglow after exposure to longwave UV light. Side 2.
Afterglow after exposure to longwave UV light. Side 2.
Fluorescence under midwave UV light.
Fluorescence under midwave UV light.
Fluorescence under shortwave UV light. Side 2
Fluorescence under shortwave UV light. Side 2
Normal light. Side 2.
Normal light. Side 2.
Fluorescence under longwave UV light. Side 3.
Fluorescence under longwave UV light. Side 3.
Afterglow after exposure to longwave UV light. Side 3.
Afterglow after exposure to longwave UV light. Side 3.
Fluorescence under midwave UV light. Side 3.
Fluorescence under midwave UV light. Side 3.
Fluorescence under shortwave UV light. Side 3.
Fluorescence under shortwave UV light. Side 3.
Triboluminescence from scratching the sphalerite.
Triboluminescence from scratching the sphalerite.
Normal light. Side 3.
Normal light. Side 3.

Summary of luminescence responses:

Sphalerite (Mindat) (RRUFF)

  • Fluorescence under Longwave (365nm LED) UV light: Orange
  • Fluorescence under Longwave (365nm LED) UV light: Green
  • Fluorescence under Longwave (365nm LED) UV light: Violet
  • Fluorescence under Midwave (305nm Lamp/Mercury) UV light: Orange
  • Fluorescence under Shortwave (254nm Lamp/Mercury) UV light: Orange
  • Afterglow after exposure to Longwave (365nm LED) UV light: Orange
  • Afterglow after exposure to Longwave (365nm LED) UV light: Green
  • Triboluminescence under Other: Orange

FMDB Home Page
Submit a new specimen!
My Collection