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!

Hydrozincite, Calcite, Yellow? under Shortwave UV - Columbia Mine, Marion County, Kentucky

Contributed by: Mark Cole
Date: Apr 14th, 2026
Locality: Columbia mine, Marion, Crittenden County, Kentucky, USA (See on Mindat)

Description:
The Columbia Mine in Kentucky can yield some really pretty specimens if you are persistent and crack enough rocks. The rarest color is the red/pink calcite shown on this piece. Every rock has hydrozincite, and many show the yellow we see here - not sure what that is - possibly fluorite. The second picture shows the piece under white light.

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

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

Summary of luminescence responses:

Hydrozincite (Mindat) (RRUFF)

  • Fluorescence under Shortwave (254nm Lamp/Mercury) UV light: Blue
Calcite (Mindat) (RRUFF)
  • Fluorescence under Shortwave (254nm Lamp/Mercury) UV light: Red

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