Meriden Mineral Club
Fluorescent Minerals
Fluorescent minerals are reactive under ultraviolet light, making for colorful, truly spectacular glowing displays. Some collectors focus on these amazing glow-in-the-dark minerals. In Meriden, we are fortunate to be only 2 hours from the fluorescent capital of the world, Franklin, NJ. The following are 2 examples of minerals that "glow in the dark":
Montana Dryhead
Agate
Yes, this is the same specimen shown on the home page. Under ultraviolet light, the pattern shows up as rings of intense green. This is due to small amout of a uranium impurity, mostly sourced from the mineral autunite. Green glowing agates are fairly common, as only a tiny amount of uranium impurity is needed to activate the green color.
"Christmas Tree
Rock"
Franklin, NJ has a number of different minerals which are fluorescent. The most notable is the famous "Christmas Tree Rock". The sharp red with green spots is due to calcite with bits of willemite. This is probably the most amazing example of a fluorescent rock and yet there is a large quantity at Franklin, and the nearby town of Ogdensburg, NJ. Rock is the correct term to use as it is composed of two different minerals.
Blue Scheelite
Shown here is a great specimen of fluorescent blue scheelite from Trumbull, CT. The fluorescence of a good specimen is intense blue. It truly is a marvel! It should be noted that scheelite fluorescence results from the composition of the mineral itself and not due to any added impurity.
Wernerite
This is Wernerite from Quebec. Wernerite is a variety of the mineral scapolite and is intensly fluorescent yellow under the most common of ultraviolet light, the long wave. There is no shortage of Wernerite in Greenville, Quebec. Need a 50 pound chunk. They are available.