Fluorescent Minerals

 

Fluorescent minerals contain trace elements or structural defects — commonly manganese, uranium, or rare earth elements — that absorb ultraviolet light and re-emit it as visible light, producing brilliant colors that aren't present, or are only faintly hinted at, under normal lighting. In daylight, many fluorescent specimens look like unassuming, ordinary rock; under a shortwave or longwave UV lamp, the same piece can erupt into vivid reds, greens, oranges, or blues, sometimes in striking multi-color combinations within a single specimen.

Our fluorescent mineral specimens include material from some of the most celebrated fluorescent localities in the world, including the Franklin-Sterling Hill mining district of New Jersey — the benchmark locality against which all other fluorescent minerals are measured, and the type locality for over a dozen fluorescent species found nowhere else. Photos of fluorescent specimens are taken under a consistent shortwave (SW) UV lamp setup; actual fluorescent response will vary somewhat depending on the wattage, wavelength, and condition of your own UV light, so results at home may appear more vivid or more subdued than what's pictured. Whether you're drawn in by the science behind the glow or simply love the visual spectacle, fluorescent minerals are one of the most rewarding categories to build a collection around — and one that rewards owning a good UV lamp of your own.