Esoterizona Stones 51

Fluorescent Minerals

Fluorescent creamy yellow powellite with bright green chalcedony in non-fluorescent quartz, Pinal County, AZ. Shown under short wave UV light. 7.5"x4" Self-collected.

Same specimen, white light.

Fluorescent creamy yellow powellite with bright green chalcedony in non-fluorescent quartz, Pinal County, AZ. Shown under short wave UV light. 6"x4.5" Self-collected.

Same specimen, white light.

Esoterizona Stones 50

Fluorescent Minerals

Bright pink and royal blue fluorescent smithsonite, Santa Cruz County, AZ.

Shown under short wave UV. FOV ~7"x5" Self-collected.

Same specimen, white light.

Fluorescent pink, blue, and crimson smithsonite with minor red calcite and sky blue hydrozincite. Shown under short wave UV. 10"x6"x3" Self-collected.

Same specimen, white light.

Fluorescent red crust and veins of calcite with crimson and blue fluorescent smithsonite. Shown under short wave UV. 5"x4.5"x2" Self-collected.

Same specimen, white light.

Fluorescent red calcite and sky blue hydrozincite, Santa Cruz County, AZ.

Shown under short wave UV. 4"x3.5"x2.5" Self-collected.

Same specimen, white light.

Esoterizona Stones 49

Fluorescent Minerals

I dug this massive beauty out of a side closet in a rock shop I visited while traveling recently - a combination called "crazy calcite" (with willemite), from Franklin Mine, Franklin, NJ. 8"x5"x3.5"  "Crazy calcite" refers to the combination of fluorescent orange-red calcite and dark red dolomite. The willemite fluoresces bright green.
Another example of this material, and a white light photo, can be seen here:
http://www.esoterizona.com/2015/09/esoterizona-stones-36.html

I also picked up an exceedingly bright and phosphorescent willemite from Sterling Hill, NJ.

Same specimen, white light. 5"x5"x2.5" - sits great on the shelf.

Esoterizona Stones 48

Fluorescent Minerals

I recently bought this piece at a rock shop while traveling - a nice example of green cubic fluorite crystals from the Rogerley Mine in England. 3.5"x3"x2.5"  This piece was being sold as a white light specimen, and was a pretty good deal.

The fluorite is fluorescent under all wavelengths, pictured here with short wave UV.

The fluorescent response under long wave UV is incredibly bright.

Esoterizona Stones 47

Fluorescent Minerals

I recently bought this piece at a rock shop while traveling - a beautiful hunk of amber yellow fluorite crystal from Cave-in-Rock mining area, Hardin Co, Illinois.  The leading edge of the crystal measures 4" and the base measures 3"x3"x4". This piece was being sold as a white light specimen, and was a pretty good deal.

Especially so, considering that exposure to long wave UV reveals violet-blue fluorescence that grades into lavender with bright glowing white towards the bottom.  The white fluorescence comes from what looks like a layer of calcite within the fluorite along the base.

 The base is covered with stepped cubic fluorite, shown here under short wave UV.

 Closeup view of the "steps." FOV ~2.5"

 Same view as above, under angled white light to emphasize the detail.

Tucson Gem & Mineral Show 2017 - 1

White light aesthetic specimens acquired at this year's Tucson gem & mineral show:

Beryl var. aquamarine terminated crystal with quartz, Minas Gerais, Brazil. 3"x2"

Microcline var. amazonite with perthite, Brazil. 4.5"x2.5"x1.25"

Pink rhodochrosite with green fluorite.  Sold without specific locality information, but best guess is the Sunnyside Mine, Eureka District, San Juan County, Colorado. 2.5"x3"

The fluorite fluoresces violet-blue in response to longwave UV.

Tucson Gem & Mineral Show 2017 - 2

Fluorescent Minerals

Some fluorescent mineral acquisitions from this year's gem show.  The willemite and manganocalcite pieces were being sold for cheap as white light pieces - always a fun discovery, and a primary objective of the yearly hunt.  The fluorapatite was a great deal also, direct from the Australian collector, and is one of my favorite fluorescent minerals.

Fluorescent green gem willemite from the Franklin Mine, Franklin, NJ. 4"x3"x2"

The non-fluorescent minerals are red zincite and black franklinite.

Red fluorescing manganocalcite from the Racracancha Mine, Cerro de Pasco, Peru.

Same specimen, white light. 6"x3.5"x3"

Yellow fluorescent fluorapatite from the Rothsay Beryl Mine, Australia, short wave UV.

Same specimen, longwave UV.

Same specimen, white light. 3.5"x2.5"x1.5"

Tucson Gem & Mineral Show 2017 - 3

This piece was being sold as plain calcite crystals from Chichuahua, Mexico.

The orange and red colors are caused by iron-hematite inclusions in the calcite, which inhibit fluorescence. They are also characteristic of a type of calcite called "mariposa," or "butterfly" calcite, known to respond to shortwave UV. 4.5"x2.5"

Broken faces of the crystals reveal a bright red pattern of fluorescence called "zoning."

This is most clearly visible on the sawcut bottom of the specimen.

Helvetia Gone to Hell

The Helvetia Mining District in the Santa Rita Mountains south of Tucson used to be generally accessible to all who desired to explore the many sites of historical or geological interest, or make the climb to the notch at Gunsight Pass.  Not any more.

Now the formerly public roads east and north through the area all bear the stamp of private property concerns, put in place by Hudbay Minerals, a Canadian company who is now the principle developer behind the proposed open-pit Rosemont mining operation.

You can read more about the mining operation from two different points of view:

For: http://www.hudbayminerals.com/English/Our-Business/Arizona/default.aspx

Against: http://www.biologicaldiversity.org/campaigns/rosemont/

The former site of the Helvetia smelter is still accessible at least:

Concrete, adobe, and timber foundations set into the canyon wall.

The slag pile forms an unnatural cliff (and sometimes waterfall) in the canyon.

Despite the new restrictions, I still managed to collect some great specimens:

Botryoidal mat of chrysocolla. FOV = ~2.5"

Gemmy chrysocolla (glossy royal blue) with another mineral, possibly rosasite. 2.75"x2.5"

Close-up of the above specimen.

Ice - A Rare Arizona Mineral

Water is classified as a mineral only when it occurs as a naturally formed crystalline solid.  One January morning these rocks in my backyard were covered with clusters of needle-like ice crystals, thanks to a perfect mix of atmospheric moisture and temperature.  Certainly a rare enough mineral in Tucson.  Thirty minutes after these photos were taken the air temperature had risen just four degrees, and all the ice crystals had melted.

Ice crystals with azurite, malachite, chrysocolla, limonite, and hematite.

Ice crystals on serpentine and marble.

Ice crystals on mimetite.

For more information about ice as a mineral: https://www.mindat.org/min-2001.html