Table of Contents
- Southern California Extravaganza: Or, SoCal Skarns and Other Tungsteniferous Deposits to Interest the Visiting Fluorescent Mineral Collector by Stephen Tapsak 1–26
- “2100 Kilometers from the Outskirts of Nowhere, but Worth the Drive” by Rej Poirier 27–30
- 2024 FMS Hall of Fame Inductee—Earl R. Verbeek by Howie Green and Lee McIlvaine 31–33
- A Midwave UV Spreadsheet: How It Came to Be by J. Michael Howard and Danny Settles 34–40
Southern California Extravaganza: Or, SoCal Skarns and Other Tungsteniferous Deposits to Interest the Visiting Fluorescent Mineral Collector
By Stephen Tapsak · pp. 1–26
Field collecting at five Southern California localities reveals the variety of fluorescent minerals found in skarns and tungsten deposits. The account covers Lytle Creek, Mill Creek, Princess Pat Mine, Hi-Peak Mine, and the Atolia Mining District, with observations on wollastonite, scapolite, scheelite, powellite, and associated minerals. It also records unusual responses, including Atolia scheelite fluorescence under midwave ultraviolet and powellite pseudomorphs after molybdenite at Princess Pat, alongside practical notes from the collecting trips.
“2100 Kilometers from the Outskirts of Nowhere, but Worth the Drive”
By Rej Poirier · pp. 27–30
A father-and-son collecting trip to the Beltana Zinc Mine on Puttapa station in South Australia yields cabinet-sized fluorescent specimens after a 2,100-kilometer drive from Brisbane. The account explains access and collecting conditions at the active mine lease, the use of shortwave lamps to search dusty mine windrows, and the practical challenges of hauling specimens home. The finds include willemite and calcite, with additional mineral responses identified from the cleaned specimens and afterglow photographs.
2024 FMS Hall of Fame Inductee—Earl R. Verbeek
By Howie Green and Lee McIlvaine · pp. 31–33
Earl R. Verbeek’s induction into the Fluorescent Mineral Society Hall of Fame recognizes decades of research, writing, museum work, and service to mineral collectors. The profile highlights his contributions to the Henkel Glossary of Fluorescent Minerals, the book Ultraviolet Light and Fluorescent Minerals, and the study of Franklin and Ogdensburg minerals. It also notes his use of Raman spectroscopy for mineral identification and includes recollections from colleagues about his scientific insight, mentorship, humor, and fieldwork.
A Midwave UV Spreadsheet: How It Came to Be
By J. Michael Howard and Danny Settles · pp. 34–40
A collaboratively assembled spreadsheet documents mineral responses to midwave ultraviolet light, addressing a perceived lack of published information. J. Michael Howard and Danny Settles compiled observations from their collections, recording mineral names, localities, natural-light colors, midwave colors, associations, and primary responses under other ultraviolet wavelengths. The authors explain their equipment, data-gathering process, and plan to expand the database through contributions from other observers. An accompanying illustrated editor’s note shows examples of specimens whose appearances change under midwave illumination.