Caracolite from the Lolón Main Mine, Chile

Contributed by: Simone Conti
minID: DVJ-TPN
Date: Jul 12th, 2026
Locality: Lolón Main Mine, Cerro Challacollo, Pozo Almonte, Tamarugal Province, Tarapacá, Chile (See on Mindat)
Size: 7 x 5 x 9 cm
Weight: 287.4 g

Description:
Rich specimen of tiny caracolite crystals on matrix. The caracolite forms nice prisms, which fluoresce bright blue under shortwave UV light. A bit unexpected is the fluorescence under mid and long wave UV: some other mineral fluoresces violet, best midwave, but also visible in longwave, and some other fluoresce red, best longwave. There is also one spot giving a yellow fluorescence under midwave. I don't know what any of these three minerals are. The label mentions glauberite, which could be the violet midwave mineral (look at the crystals shape on the top left of the midwave photo). The red could be calcite, but the fluorescent color is a bit off, with more of a pink/violet hue. The yellow could be cerussite. The locality has a number of lead minerals, and lead is often a good excuse for fluorescence.