Esoterizona Stones 45

Fluorescent Minerals

Fluorescent willemite (green) and calcite (red) from the Franklin Mine, Franklin, NJ.

4"x3"x3"

The reddish-brown mineral on the right half of the specimen is tephroite.

Under short wave UV the willemite is visible within the tephroite as fine veins in a pattern called "exsolution willemite."

Fluorescent Mineral Photoshoot 3

A friend brought over his digital camera setup this past Saturday and he took pictures of fluorescent minerals from my collection.  This was his first effort at photographing fluorescent minerals, and my first time photographing these rocks with something besides a cellphone camera.  I couldn't be happier with the results.

Fluorescent green hyalite opal from Zacatecas, Mexico, shown under shortwave UV light. More photos of and details about this specimen can also be found at http://www.esoterizona.com/2016/02/esoterizona-stones-39.html.

Closeup of solid nodule of hyalite opal at top-center of specimen picture above.

Nodule has a diameter of approximately 10mm.

Fluorescent yellow cerussite crystals and dull red fluorescent blades of barite from Mibladen, Morocco, shown under short- and midwave UV.  The blue in the picture is just lamp reflection.  4.5"x3"x1.5".  A closeup of the bright crystal at top-left can be seen here.

Closeup of fluorescent blue scheelite and dull yellow crystalline powellite, shown under shortwave UV light.  This specimen was collected in Pinal County, AZ.

More photos of and information about this specimen can be seen at http://www.esoterizona.com/2014/10/esoterizona-stones-26.html.

Fluorescent Mineral Photoshoot 2

A friend brought over his digital camera setup this past Saturday and he took pictures of fluorescent minerals from my collection.  This was his first effort at photographing fluorescent minerals, and my first time photographing these rocks with something besides a cellphone camera.  I couldn't be happier with the results.

Terminated, fluorescent fluorapatite crystals from Cerro de Mercado Mine, Durango, Mexico, shown under midwave UV.  Largest crystal is 21mm long, FOV approximately 35mm wide.  Full size specimen pictured below.

Fluorapatite crystals and hyalite opal pictured under shortwave UV and midwave UV.  The fluorapatite is now lavender and the hyalite opal is bright green.  4"x3"x3"

Photos of this specimen can also be seen at http://www.esoterizona.com/2015/08/esoterizona-stones-35.html.

You can also see the difference in results from a DSLR versus phone camera.

Terminated, fluorescent yellow apatite crystals from Panasqueria Mine, Portugal, shown under shortwave UV.  Crystals up to 10mm, FOV approximately 35mm.

"Fantasy Rock" from Taseq Slope, Ilimaussaq Complex, Narsaq, Greenland, shown under short and long wave UV.  "Fantasy Rock" is a collectors' term given to the multicolored fluorescent rocks from this locale.  This example shows fluorescent cherry-red tugtupite surrounding eyes of white chkalovite (looks more blue), along with orange sodalite, green polylithionite, and blue-white analcime.  FOV approximately 70mm.

Fluorescent Mineral Photoshoot 1

A friend brought over his digital camera setup this past Saturday and he took pictures of fluorescent minerals from my collection.  This was his first effort at photographing fluorescent minerals, and my first time photographing these rocks with something besides a cellphone camera.  I couldn't be happier with the results.

Cubic, twinned fluorite crystal from the Rogerley Mine, Weardale, County Durham, England, shown under longwave UV.  Distinct zoning is visible in the upper face of the top twin as a series of faint, nested rectangles.  Length of the upper crystal is 15mm (0.6"), FOV approximately 30mm wide.

Platy crystals of fluorescent yellow-green phlogopite on lazurite crystals, non-fluorescent dark blue, both over fluorescent red calcite crystals.  A small patch of fluorescent orange hauyne is also visible along the top. Shown under midwave and longwave UV.  This specimen is from Kokcha Valley, Sar-e-Sang, Badakshan, Afghanistan.  The largest phlogopite crystals are 3mm, FOV approximately 20mm.

Large, terminated gypsum crystal from Red River Floodway, Winnipeg, Canada, shown under shortwave UV.  Crystal is 25mm across and 20mm long from the base.  FOV approximately 30mm.

Photos of this specimen can also be seen at http://www.esoterizona.com/2015/02/esoterizona-stones-30.html

Cerrusite crystals from Mibladen, Khenifra Province, Morocco, shown under midwave UV.   Large crystal as shown is 15mm across, FOV approximately 25mm.

Esoterizona Stones 44

Fluorescent Minerals

All three of the following specimens came from a boulder I collected a couple of years ago from a mine in Pinal County and recently split open.  The fluorescence of the exterior was rather weak, but the freshly broken faces revealed bright, creamy yellow-white powellite shot through with veins and pockets of vivid green chalcedony, both under shortwave uv.

5"x3"x2"

4"x5"x3"

5"x3"x6"

Other specimens collected from this locale can be seen on Esoterizona Stones 22.

Salton Sea 4 - Obsidian Butte

 Yet another non-sequitur feature of the Salton Sea is Obsidian Butte, one of five in a series of ancient rhyolitic features on the lake's eastern shore.  The butte was formed when lava from an ancient eruption came into contact with an ancient sea, resulting in a large deposit of the characteristic jet black, glassy composition.

Massive obsidian boulders on the beach.

One outcropping of the butte.

Close-up showing the layered bands in the obsidian, corresponding to successive waves of lava quickly cooling one after the other.

In addition to standard jet black obsidian, there was also snowflake obsidian and mahogany obsidian (pictured).

Salton Sea 3 - Owl

Quite a surprise to see an owl at this hour.  Turns out to be a California Burrowing Owl (Athene cunicularea), who are known for hunting during daylight, as well as living in underground burrows. "Cunicular" roughly translates as "rabbit-like."

Maybe he was surprised to see me too - I saw very few people the whole day.  Apparently it is also rare to see burrowing owls out like this during the heat of the summer, which on this particular day was nearly 120 F.