In December 2023 I was contacted by Mel Canter and Dale Keiser (from Wickenburg, Arizona). They told me that they had collected some fluorescent specimens and wanted to come to Phoenix to show me what they had found. After showing Mel and Dale my collection, we went out to the garage to look at the specimens they brought with them. Upon looking at them under ultraviolet light I was pleasantly surprised to find that they contained fluorescent wickenburgite, willemite, calcite and caliche.
We had a long discussion about whether I thought the specimens had some re-sale value and whether or not I would assist them in both staking a claim on the area and offering the specimens for sale through Polman Minerals. I was happy to assist them, and that was the beginning of our relationship.
History
Approximately 10 years ago Mel and Dale decided to search for a new source of the rare lead silicate mineral wickenburgite. They knew the history of its discovery at the Potter-Cramer mine in 1968 and knew that Polman Ultraviolet, Inc. was the current owner of the Potter-Cramer mine. Their plan was to find a new locality, collect nice specimens, photograph them and make a presentation to their rock and mineral club, the Wickenburg Gem and Mineral Society. They both suspected that there wouldn’t be anyone in their club that ever even heard of wickenburgite.
Over the years Mel and Dale explored old mines and prospects in the Belmont mountain range near Wickenburg, always hoping to find the elusive wickenburgite. During this time period, Dale kept very good records of the locations and dates for specimens collected in the field.
Around the end of summer in 2023, Dale called Mel and asked him if he remembered a certain locality in the Belmont’s they had explored years prior. It took Mel a bit of time to recollect the locality during the call. When he finally remembered, Dale told Mel that they had found wickenburgite there!
As it turned out, they had brought home specimens from that trip and stored them without further study. They actually collected those specimens before they had an interest in finding wickenburgite. Shortly afterwards they went back to that locality, only to find that a placer claim had been filed over the locality. They since have purchased the placer claim from the owner and filed a lode claim calling it the Green Envy mine (the Mine).
Mineralogy
So far, the fluorescent minerals that have been identified at the Mine are wickenburgite, willemite, calcite and caliche. Along with the fluorescent minerals, the non-fluorescent minerals mimetite, hemimorphite and descloizite have been found.
Like the Potter-Cramer mine, the wickenburgite can fluoresce anywhere from a Bazooka bubble gum pink to a crimson red. Unlike the Potter-Cramer mine, the willemite fluoresces more of a creamy yellow green to a bright vivid green (hence the name Green Envy). Under midrange and longwave ultraviolet light, the willemite can fluoresce yellow. After exposure to shortwave ultraviolet light, the willemite exhibits a long duration sustained luminescence.
Another difference between the Mine and the Potter-Cramer mine is that fluorescent orange-red calcite can be found with the fluorescent wickenburgite and willemite. The Potter-Cramer mine did not have calcite but had significant amounts of fluorescent fluorite, which has yet to be found at the Mine.
Future
So far, the Mine has been hand mined starting at the ground level. The owners hope that if sales of these specimens go well, they can conduct further mining efforts. At this point Mel and Dale do not know how many more quality specimens the Mine will produce. Polman Minerals will continue to hand pick each specimen for sale based on quality, richness and aesthetics.
The fluorescent mineral specimens offered for sale below were photographed using a 36-watt shortwave and/or midrange ultraviolet lamp. Prices for the most part are based on the amount of the rarer wickenburgite present in the specimen. However, some specimens are very aesthetic when they contain three or four different fluorescent minerals. And as such, were also priced accordingly.
To order a specimen from this Showcase, just email or call with the number you wish to purchase.   When a specimen is sold it will be marked SOLD in red. When new specimens are posted, sold specimens will be deleted, and new specimens added in their place.Â
For quick email access to purchase a specimen, you may click here.
Name & Location: Wickenburgite, Willemite, Green Envy Mine, Maricopa County, Arizona.
Size: 5 x 5 x 4-inches
Notes: Newly discovered wickenburgite locality (2024). Willemite exhibits long duration sustained luminescence.
Price: $500.00
Name & Location: Willemite, Wickenburgite, Caliche, Green Envy Mine, Maricopa County, Arizona.
Size: 4 x 4 x 3-inches
Notes: Newly discovered wickenburgite locality (2024). Willemite exhibits long duration sustained luminescence.
Price: $250.00
Name & Location: Wickenburgite, Willemite, Calcite, Green Envy Mine, Maricopa County, Arizona.
Size: 5 x 5 x 3-inches
Notes: Newly discovered wickenburgite locality (2024). Willemite exhibits long duration sustained luminescence.
Price: $300.00
Name & Location: Wickenburgite, Willemite, Calcite, Green Envy Mine, Maricopa County, Arizona.
Size: 4 x 2.5 x 1.5-inches
Notes: Newly discovered wickenburgite locality (2024). Willemite exhibits long duration sustained luminescence.
Price: $300.00
Name & Location: Wickenburgite, Willemite, Green Envy Mine, Maricopa County, Arizona.
Size: 2.5 x 2.5 x 1.5-inches
Notes: Newly discovered wickenburgite locality (2024). Willemite exhibits long duration sustained luminescence.
Price: $250.00
Name & Location: Wickenburgite, Willemite, Calcite, Green Envy Mine, Maricopa County, Arizona.
Size: 6 x 5 x 4-inches
Notes: Newly discovered wickenburgite locality (2024). Willemite exhibits long duration sustained luminescence.
Price: $350.00
Name & Location: Willemite, Wickenburgite, Green Envy Mine, Maricopa County, Arizona.
Size: 5.5 x 5 x 2.5-inches
Notes: Newly discovered wickenburgite locality (2024). Willemite exhibits long duration sustained luminescence.
Price: $250.00
Name & Location: Willemite, Wickenburgite, Green Envy Mine, Maricopa County, Arizona.
Size: 5 x 2.5 x 2.5-inches
Notes: Newly discovered wickenburgite locality (2024). Willemite exhibits long duration sustained luminescence.
Price: $300.00
Name & Location: Caliche, Willemite, Green Envy Mine, Maricopa County, Arizona.
Size: 4 x 2 x 2-inches
Notes: Newly discovered wickenburgite locality (2024). Willemite exhibits long duration sustained luminescence.
Price: $75.00 SOLD
Name & Location: Wickenburgite, Calcite, Willemite, Green Envy Mine, Maricopa County, Arizona.
Size: 5 x 3.5 x 3-inches
Notes: Newly discovered wickenburgite locality (2024). Willemite exhibits long duration sustained luminescence.
Price: $300.00
Name & Location: Wickenburgite, Willemite, Green Envy Mine, Maricopa County, Arizona.
Size: 4 x 2.5 x 2-inches
Notes: Newly discovered wickenburgite locality (2024). Willemite exhibits long duration sustained luminescence.
Price: $300.00
Name & Location: Wickenburgite, Willemite, Green Envy Mine, Maricopa County, Arizona.
Size: 3.5 x 2.5 x 1.5-inches
Notes: Newly discovered wickenburgite locality (2024). Willemite exhibits long duration sustained luminescence.
Price: $300.00
Name & Location: Willemite, Calcite, Caliche, Wickenburgite, Green Envy Mine, Maricopa County, Arizona.
Size: 4.5 x 4 x 2.5-inches
Notes: Newly discovered wickenburgite locality (2024). Willemite exhibits long duration sustained luminescence.
Price: $250.00
Name & Location: Willemite, Caliche, Green Envy Mine, Maricopa County, Arizona.
Size: 5.5 x 5 x 3-inches
Notes: Newly discovered wickenburgite locality (2024). Willemite exhibits long duration sustained luminescence.
Price: $200.00
Name & Location: Caliche, Calcite, Willemite, Green Envy Mine, Maricopa County, Arizona.
Size: 5.5 x 4.5 x 3-inches
Notes: Newly discovered wickenburgite locality (2024). Willemite exhibits long duration sustained luminescence.
Price: $150.00 SOLD
Name & Location: Caliche, Wickenburgite, Willemite, Green Envy Mine, Maricopa County, Arizona.
Size: 3 x 2 x 2-inches
Notes: Newly discovered wickenburgite locality (2024). Willemite exhibits long duration sustained luminescence.
Price: $150.00 SOLD
Name & Location: Willemite, Wickenburgite, Green Envy Mine, Maricopa County, Arizona.
Size: 6 x 3 x 1.5-inches
Notes: Newly discovered wickenburgite locality (2024). Willemite exhibits long duration sustained luminescence.
Price: $250.00
Name & Location: Wickenburgite, Willemite, Calcite, Green Envy Mine, Maricopa County, Arizona.
Size: 3 x 2.5 x 1.5-inches
Notes: Newly discovered wickenburgite locality (2024). Willemite exhibits long duration sustained luminescence.
Price: $250.00 SOLD
Name & Location: Willemite, Wickenburgite, Caliche, Green Envy Mine, Maricopa County, Arizona.
Size: 4 x 3 x 2-inches
Notes: Newly discovered wickenburgite locality (2024). Willemite exhibits long duration sustained luminescence.
Price: $300.00
Name & Location: Wickenburgite, Willemite, Calcite, Green Envy Mine, Maricopa County, Arizona.
Size: 4 x 3 x 2.5-inches
Notes: Newly discovered wickenburgite locality (2024). Willemite exhibits long duration sustained luminescence.
Price: $300.00
Name & Location: Willemite, Wickenburgite, Calcite, Green Envy Mine, Maricopa County, Arizona.
Size: 3.5 x 3 x 3-inches
Notes: Newly discovered wickenburgite locality (2024). Willemite exhibits long duration sustained luminescence.
Price: $250.00
Name & Location: Willemite, Wickenburgite, Calcite, Green Envy Mine, Maricopa County, Arizona.
Size: 2.5 x 2.5 x 1.5-inches
Notes: Newly discovered wickenburgite locality (2024). Willemite exhibits long duration sustained luminescence.
Price: $150.00 SOLD
Name & Location: Willemite, Wickenburgite, Calcite, Green Envy Mine, Maricopa County, Arizona.
Size: 4 x 2.5 x 2-inches
Notes: Newly discovered wickenburgite locality (2024). Willemite exhibits long duration sustained luminescence.
Price: $300.00 SOLD
Name & Location: Caliche, Willemite, Calcite, Green Envy Mine, Maricopa County, Arizona.
Size: 4 x 3 x 2-inches
Notes: Newly discovered wickenburgite locality (2024). Willemite exhibits long duration sustained luminescence.
Price: $100.00 SOLD
Name & Location: Wickenburgite, Willemite, Green Envy Mine, Maricopa County, Arizona.
Size: 4 x 2 x 1.5-inches
Notes: Newly discovered wickenburgite locality (2024). Willemite exhibits long duration sustained luminescence.
Price: $250.00
Name & Location: Caliche, Willemite, Wickenburgite, Calcite, Green Envy Mine, Maricopa County, Arizona.
Size: 8 x 4 x 4-inches
Notes: Newly discovered wickenburgite locality (2024). Willemite exhibits long duration sustained luminescence.
Price: $350.00
Name & Location: Wickenburgite, Willemite, Calcite, Green Envy Mine, Maricopa County, Arizona.
Size: 6 x 4 x 2.5-inches
Notes: Newly discovered wickenburgite locality (2024). Willemite exhibits long duration sustained luminescence.
Price: $500.00
Name & Location: Willemite, Wickenburgite, Calcite, Green Envy Mine, Maricopa County, Arizona.
Size: 4 x 3 x 1.5-inches
Notes: Newly discovered wickenburgite locality (2024). Willemite exhibits long duration sustained luminescence.
Price: $200.00 SOLD
Name & Location: Willemite, Wickenburgite, Green Envy Mine, Maricopa County, Arizona.
Size: 3 x 3 x 3-inches
Notes: Newly discovered wickenburgite locality (2024). Willemite exhibits long duration sustained luminescence.
Price: $125.00
Name & Location: Willemite, Calcite, Caliche, Wickenburgite, Green Envy Mine, Maricopa County, Arizona.
Size: 4 x 3 x 2.5-inches
Notes: Newly discovered wickenburgite locality (2024). Willemite exhibits long duration sustained luminescence.
Price: $250.00 SOLD
Name & Location: Willemite, Wickenburgite, Green Envy Mine, Maricopa County, Arizona.
Size: 4 x 2.5 x 2.5-inches
Notes: Newly discovered wickenburgite locality (2024). Willemite exhibits long duration sustained luminescence.
Price: $150.00
Fluorescent Mineral GE-131 SOLD
White Light Front
White Light Back
Shortwave Ultraviolet Front
Shortwave Ultraviolet Back
Midrange Ultraviolet Back
Name & Location: Willemite, Wickenburgite, Calcite, Green Envy Mine, Maricopa County, Arizona.
Size: 4 x 3.5 x 3-inches
Notes: Newly discovered wickenburgite locality (2024). Willemite exhibits long duration sustained luminescence.
Price: $350.00 SOLD
Name & Location: Wickenburgite, Willemite, Green Envy Mine, Maricopa County, Arizona.
Size: 4 x 4 x 3-inches
Notes: Newly discovered wickenburgite locality (2024). Willemite exhibits long duration sustained luminescence.
Price: $400.00 SOLD
Name & Location: Willemite, Wickenburgite, Green Envy Mine, Maricopa County, Arizona.
Size: 6 x 3 x 2.5-inches
Notes: Newly discovered wickenburgite locality (2024). Willemite exhibits long duration sustained luminescence.
Price: $300.00