43 new fluorescent minerals to United States Showcase
Today I have added 43 new specimens to the United States Showcase Page of my website. A description of some of the larger batches is provided below.
A) Sphalerite from Pennsylvania – I was recently able to obtain a nice batch of multi-colored sphalerite specimens from a new find in Pennsylvania. As with the sphalerite I sold awhile back from the new find in Montana, these sphalerite specimens require a longwave LED flashlight to really enjoy the fluorescent colors. As noted in the notes section below each photograph, these sphalerite specimens were photograph using a C8+ longwave LED flashlight. I do have these flashlights for sale if you would like to purchase one along with a specimen.
According to the field collector of these specimens there are two veins. In one vein the sphalerite can fluoresce red, orange and pink (and rarely blue). In the other vein the sphalerite fluoresces orange and pink. In both veins you can also get a cherry red fluorescing dolomite. Some specimens contain secondary hydrozincite, smithsonite and in some cases cerussite. The sphalerite is triboluminescent as well. The collector of these specimens has told me that if there appears to be a good demand for these, he can provide me with more specimens.
B) Sphalerite from the Sweet Home mine in Colorado – Over the past few years my good friends at Collector’s Edge minerals have been putting aside for me the best specimens of fluorescent sphalerite from the Sweet Home mine. These specimens are the result of the trimming process as they work to expose the rhodochrosite. As a result, some specimens have sawcut faces. Although these sphalerite specimens fluoresce under longwave tube lighting, they really are bright and beautiful under longwave LED lighting. These specimens were photographed using a C8+ longwave LED flashlight. Specimens may also contain fluorescent violet fluorite (in some cases chlorophane).
C) Willemite, Calcite, Fluorite from the Purple Passion Mine in Arizona – For this batch I put together a few nice “A” grade pieces from the Purple Passion Mine in Arizona. I also included a nice large display piece that would be perfect for a center piece of a display. Some of the calcite from the Purple Passion Mine fluoresces more brightly under midrange ultraviolet, although shortwave ultraviolet alone is still alright for this material.
D) Eucryptite from the Midnight Owl mine in Arizona – I grabbed a few nice specimens of crimson red fluorescing eucryptite from my stock. These pieces come from the famous Midnight Owl pegmatite mine in Arizona. Some of these specimens also contain a fluorescing spodumene (spodumene can typically alter to eucryptite). Capturing the brilliant crimson fluorescent color of eucryptite with digital cameras is tricky. As a result, I put a note saying that the specimens did not photograph well.