Fluorescent Calcite and Scheelite - Ophir Hill Mine, Tooele County, Utah

Contributed by: Chris Clemens
minID: 7L5-3WM
Date: May 20th, 2026
Locality: Ophir Hill Consolidated Mine, Ophir, Ophir Mining District, Tooele County, Utah, USA (See on Mindat)
Size: 9 x 6.2 x 9.5 cm
Weight: 498 g

Description:
Tabular calcite crystals and small scheelite octahedrons on limestone matrix, from the Ophir Hill Mine, Ophir, Tooele County, Utah. At its best under shortwave UV, the calcite shows a beautiful, intense, red response, and the scheelite fluoresces bright blue/white. The calcite shows a similar, but brighter red/orange response under midwave UV, but the scheelite is not fluorescent under this wavelength. The longwave UV response is like midwave, but dimmer.

Located in the Oquirrh (pronounced like "ochre") Mountains, southwest of Salt Lake City, Utah, the Ophir Hill Mine operated between 1870 and 1972, and produced lead, zinc, silver, copper, manganese, and tungsten.

Fluorescence under shortwave UV light.

Fluorescence under midwave UV light.

Fluorescence under longwave UV light.

Normal light.

Summary of luminescence responses:

Calcite (Mindat) (RRUFF)

• Fluorescence under Longwave (365nm Lamp/Mercury) UV light: Red
• Fluorescence under Midwave (305nm Lamp/Mercury) UV light: Red
• Fluorescence under Shortwave (254nm Lamp/Mercury) UV light: Red

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