Folks are very creative and we’ve seen some great displays filled with glowing rocks and lit by powerful UV lights. But, as we know, UV can be dangerous to your eyes; viewers must be protected from the harmful UV rays. And a front cover helps keep that pesky dust and...
Monteagle Miner Cave, a Fluorescent Chamber of Icicles
Over the 2018 holidays my daughters were in town. One left after Christmas but was replaced by my BFF Howie Green and his wife. Always looking for something to do besides explore the many fluorescent rocks down at my barn, this year we got lucky. My local glowhound...
The “Feldspar Effect”: Is This Really a Fluorescent Mineral?
There is something I call the "feldspar effect". When people first start collecting fluorescent minerals in the field they usually are amazed at the typical fluorescence of your average feldspar. As they gain experience and see more fluorescent minerals they realize...
Gem Tabular Ruby Cluster: An Unique Crystal Habit
Most ruby specimens are either high-priced single/group of crystals on a marble matrix, or cheap massive habit rough from India. Not so here. This cluster of hundreds (or thousands) of intersecting crystals screams color and brightness, and has a delicate, not seen...
Thermoluminescence in Greenland Sodalite
While experimenting with Afghan sodalite, and after discussion on the Fluorescent Minerals Facebook Group, I decided to try Greenland sodalite and see if it was thermoluminescent. That was the natural question raised by members of the Facebook group. Very interesting...
Thermoluminescent Sodalite (Hackmanite) from Afghanistan
I was preparing for a photoshoot tonight, cleaning the specimens of all the lint and hairs that tend to accumulate on them. I was using a MAP torch to lightly burn the little buggers from all the nooks and crannies (a hint learned from the Fluorescent Mineral Group on...
Romancing the Stone: A Brief History of Tugtupite
“For ages, the Inuit of Greenland have understood the power of tugtupite. Legend has it that lovers can cause the stone to glow fiery red just from the heat of their romance. The brilliance and vibrant colors announce the intensity of their love.” (MinerShop -...