Hello Judy,

My guess is that if you are seeing only purple, it is visible light coming through the UV filter and reflecting from your specimens.

There are not a lot of minerals that are always fluorescent. Those that are include most minerals that contain uranium. Also, scheelite, willemite, and powellite. The majority of other minerals that fluoresce depend upon their having a small amount of "activator" in the crystal. Activators include manganese, rare earth elements, lead, and chromium, among others. This usually means that the locality from which the mineral comes is important. For example, calcite is not usually fluorescent, but calcite from Franklin or Sterling Hill in New Jersey most often (not always) fluoresces a bright slightly orangish-red. Calcite from Terlingua, Texas often fluoresces blue. the color depends upon the activator.

Take a look at the Fluorescent Mineral Society - Minerals
Fluorescent Mineral Society - Different minerals show surprising results when viewed under ... FMS members have assembled a list of web sites showing examples ...
www.uvminerals.org/minerals.htm

Don

From Don Peck - May 13, 2008 at 08:01:48

Message: 66512