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!

Apatite from Pakistan with Unusual Fluorescent Responses

Contributed by: Mark Cole
Date: Apr 5th, 2026
Locality: Shigar Valley, Shigar District, Gilgit-Baltistan, Pakistan (See on Mindat)
Size: 4 x 2.5 x 4 inches
Weight: 1.66 lb

Description:
Apatite is usually fluorescent a bright lemon yellow under shortwave UV light and dimmer under midwave UV and sometimes longwave. This specimen fluoresces the typical lemon yellow under shortwave (perhaps not as saturated as most), but under midwave light it shifts to a bright white with a yellow tint. Under longwave light it has an almost peach color. Unusual....

Originally posted by Mark Cole on Nature's Rainbows in 2016.

Fluorescence under midwave UV light.
Fluorescence under midwave UV light.
Fluorescence under shortwave UV light.
Fluorescence under shortwave UV light.
Fluorescence under longwave UV light.
Fluorescence under longwave UV light.
Normal light.
Normal light.

Summary of luminescence responses:

Fluorapatite (Mindat) (RRUFF)

  • Fluorescence under Longwave (365nm LED) UV light: Violet
  • Fluorescence under Midwave (305nm Lamp/Mercury) UV light: White
  • Fluorescence under Shortwave (254nm Lamp/Mercury) UV light: Yellow

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