Table of Contents
- From the Editor: ‘By Any Other Name’ by Howie Green 1–9
- The Talcville Chaos by Ludo Van Goethem 10–13
- Ultraviolation—Past, Present and Future. A NERF Chapter Report by Lee McIlvaine 14–22
From the Editor: ‘By Any Other Name’
By Howie Green · pp. 1–9
Mineral names reflect changing approaches to classification, from ancient descriptions of appearance and use to modern nomenclature governed by the International Mineralogical Association. The essay compares mineral naming with naming practices for drugs and racehorses, and considers the roles of chemical composition, physical properties, localities, and people in mineral names. Wollastonite provides a central example: the article reviews its structure, manganese-activated emissions and afterglow, industrial uses, and notable specimens and occurrences.
The Talcville Chaos
By Ludo Van Goethem · pp. 10–13
Fluorescence spectra and chemical analyses help distinguish tremolite, anthophyllite, and clino-suenoite from the Talcville region of St. Lawrence County, New York. Measurements using 405, 365, and UV-C LED sources show that emissions near 585 nm are characteristic of tremolite, while emissions near 650 nm occur in anthophyllite and clino-suenoite. X-ray fluorescence and energy-dispersive X-ray analyses link manganese content to the emission patterns. The study cautions that mixed emissions make visual identification unreliable and that more clino-suenoite samples are needed.
Ultraviolation—Past, Present and Future. A NERF Chapter Report
By Lee McIlvaine · pp. 14–22
The history and 2021 return of Ultraviolation, a fluorescent-mineral show in Fairless Hills, Pennsylvania, are recounted alongside photographs and attendee reflections. The show grew from Lower Bucks County club activities and early events focused on fluorescent and radioactive minerals, and continued through changes in leadership and a pandemic-related cancellation in 2020. The 2021 event welcomed dealers and visitors under safety precautions, with specimens, displays, demonstrations, and collecting conversations. The report also recalls the role of radon concerns in sparking early public education efforts.