Fluorescent Mineral Database

A new secret project! Trying to create a nice Fluorescent Mineral Database (FMDB), which would be searchable by mineral, locality, and luminescence properties. Also making it easy for people to contribute with their own specimens!

In the Mix: Sphalerite/Wurtzite, Horn Silver Mine, Utah

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

Description:
Mixture of wurtzite and sphalerite from: Horn Silver Mine, Frisco, San Francisco District, San Francisco Mts, Beaver Co., Utah, USA.

When Don Newsome visited me in 2002, he gave me this specimen as a door prize. It\'s very strongly triboluminescent! (You can see the scratch marks.)

The orange fluorescence is probably wurtzite, the violet stuff sphalerite. Photo in SW-UV.

Source: Fluorescent Minerals Workgroup MKA : http://fluo.mineralogie.be/

Originally posted by Axel Emmermann on Nature's Rainbows.

Fluorescence under shortwave UV light.
Fluorescence under shortwave UV light.
Normal light.
Normal light.

Summary of luminescence responses:

Sphalerite (Mindat) (RRUFF)

  • Fluorescence under Shortwave (255nm LED) UV light: Violet
Wurtzite (Mindat) (RRUFF)
  • Fluorescence under Shortwave (255nm LED) UV light: Orange

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