Water Clear Calcite Crystals on Calcite - China

Contributed by: Mark Cole
Date: Apr 6th, 2026
Locality: Chenzhou, Hunan, China (See on Mindat)
Size: 4 x 3 x 6 inches
Weight: 2 lb

Description:
This is a simply exquisite plate of calcite crystals on a bed of whitish fluorescing calcite. The crystals fluoresce best under MW and interestingly shift to a blue-white color under LW. The crystals are almost water-clear, and have etched faces, sharp terminations. Very unusual specimen. I do not have the exact locality in China; picked it up in Tucson and the dealer gave Chenzhou as the locality. Chenzhou is a city where the big mineral market is located - means nothing as far as the locality goes (pretty common for the Chinese dealers in Tucson).

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

Fluorescence under shortwave UV light.

Fluorescence under midwave UV light.

Fluorescence under longwave UV light.

Normal light.

Fluorescence under midwave UV light. Closeup.

Fluorescence under longwave UV light. Closeup

Fluorescence under midwave UV light. Side 2.

Fluorescence under longwave UV light. Side 2.

Normal light. Side 2.

Normal light. Closeup

Normal light. Closeup

Summary of luminescence responses:

Calcite (Mindat) (RRUFF)

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