Baryte on Calcite from Sterling Mine, Ogdensburg, NJ, USA

Contributed by: Axel Emmermann
Date: Jan 20th, 2025
Locality: Sterling Mine, Sterling Hill, Ogdensburg, Sussex County, New Jersey, USA (See on Mindat)

Description:
I took a spectrum of the red fluorescence of the calcite. It clearly shows the fluorescence of the co-activator, lead. The fluorescence of lead, around 320 nm, triggers the fluorescence of calcite. You can bypass the co-activator entirely by lamping the specimen with MW-UV, which lies in that region of 320 nm.

Fluorescence under shortwave UV light.

Normal light.

Fluorescence spectra.

Summary of luminescence responses:

Baryte (Mindat) (RRUFF)

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

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