Hobbies And Interests

Rocks That Light Up

Only around 500 of 3,600 known mineral species can light up, a phenomenon called fluorescence after fluorine, the best known glowing mineral. Fluorescence is caused by impurities in the rock that glow in the presence of sort- or long-wave ultraviolet light rays, though some minerals are "self-activated" and can glow even in visible light. The world hotspot for fluorescent minerals is Franklin, N.J., where at least 56 fluorescent minerals have been mined, many found no place else on Earth.
  1. Wollastonite

    • Wollastonite, named for Colonial English chemist and mineralogist W.H. Wollaston, is a somewhat common soft and pearly rock found throughout the U.S., Europe and China, but the most fluorescent deposits are in Franklin. Its color and resistance to heat make it ideal for use in ceramics and tiling. It is also used for paints. Wollastonite glows white under both types of UV light.

    Zippeite

    • Zippeite is a rare golden-yellow, orange-yellow or brown mineral that forms when water evaporates on top of uranium deposits. As such, it is highly radioactive and often unintentionally manmade. Natural zippeite occurrences have been found in the Western U.S., England and Central Europe. Due to the inconstancy in the way it is formed, zippeite can fluoresce many different colors.

    Esperite

    • Esperite is a white or colorless mineral found nearly exclusively in Franklin. It, along with Franklin's other specimens, were formed when zinc minerals were caught up in that region's special metamorphic conditions of heat and pressure. Esperite fluoresces yellow under UV light.

    Fluorite

    • Fluorite is popularly known as the most colorful mineral in the world, a reputation it earns under visible and UV light. It most typically fluoresces blue, but some varieties glow yellow, green, red, white or purple, and many glow different colors under short- and long-wave UV lights. Further, some fluorites, most notably clorophane, display thermoluminescence, the rare ability to light up when heated. Chlorophane glows green its first time heated then permanently loses its thermoluminescent ability.


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