Scheelite and Caliche - Darwin, California

Contributed by: FMS Admin
Date: May 12th, 2026
Locality: Darwin, Darwin Mining District, Darwin Hills, Inyo County, California, USA (See on Mindat)
Size: 5.3 x 2.9 x 9.3 cm

Description:
Nice cabinet specimen, recently obtained in a trade, consisting of scheelite (bright blueish-white under shortwave UV, and yellow under midwave UV) in skarn rock, with a coating of caliche (orange fluorescence under all wavelengths, best under longwave, very weak under shortwave), from Darwin, Darwin Mining District, Darwin Hills, Inyo Co., California.

Originally posted by Frédéric Messier Leroux on Nature's Rainbows in 2022.

Fluorescence under longwave and shortwave UV light.

Fluorescence under longwave and midwave UV light.

Fluorescence under shortwave UV light.

Fluorescence under midwave UV light.

Fluorescence under longwave UV light.

Normal light.

Summary of luminescence responses:

Caliche (Mindat) (RRUFF)

• Fluorescence under Longwave (365nm LED) UV light: Orange

• Fluorescence under Shortwave (254nm Lamp/Mercury) UV light: Blue
• Fluorescence under Midwave (305nm Lamp/Mercury) UV light: Yellow