First, an animation showing the difference between the UV flashlight we recommend (365nm filtered UV flashlight) versus unfiltered 395nm UV flashlights we see many folks carrying around at shows. So. much. visible purple light. We selected a bunch of rocks as a demonstration. Took pictures of them under his flashlight without the filter and then with the filter.

Small delicate crystals of bright green fluorescing quartz are peppered around a matrix of calcite on this striking specimen.

Red sodalite is named for the color it takes on when exposed to sunlight; it is nicely tenebrescent under longwave UV. Under shortwave UV the color deepens, in seconds, to almost black in some areas. 

Rarest of the rare from Greenland - apatite has only been observed in a handful of pieces over the decade+ we have been exploring Greenland. Blue apatite crystals fluorescing under UV.

Crack it! This has been our mantra for years, told to new folks we've guided into the mountains of Greenland. For ten years, we guided groups of 5 to 7 people into the mountains and put them on the best collecting spots in the Ilimaussaq Complex. 

This material is striking. The sodalite appears as crystal blebs in matrix, with a few spots of tugtupite encircling a bright white chkalovite.

Tenebrescence of Greenland fluorescent sodalite is amazing. This is a piece of a deeply tenebrescent sodalite. Note how when the shortwave light is first turned on, the sodalite fluoresces a bright orange but almost immediately shifts to a burnt orange as the tenebrescence sets in.

The Garpenberg mine is located in Bergslagen, a very old mining area in the southern part of Sweden.

The mine is very active today and is one of Europe's most progressive underground mining operations. Collecting is not possible, and the few specimens that reach collector's hands are highly prized. The mineralogy is quite similar to that of Franklin NJ. 

Fluorescent minerals can be fascinating to those who discover these hidden treasures and they often raise various questions. Here are some common questions related to fluorescent minerals.

Explore the top ten most common fluorescent minerals such as fluorite, opal, calcite, aragonite, willemite, hackmanite and more. When exposed to ultraviolet (UV) light, these remarkable specimens emit a captivating and colorful glow

We will divide this blog into a 5 series post with a focus on the following areas:

1. Overview of Greenland and the Fluorescent Minerals from this Locality
2. Kvanefjeld Minerals
3. Taseq Slope Minerals
4. Tunuliarfik Minerals
5. Kangerlussaq Minerals

Collecting Fluorescent Minerals is an exciting and very satisfying hobby that combines the appreciation of minerals and their unique optical properties. Fluorescent minerals can be found almost anywhere and are often there just for the taking. A spot picked over by daylight mineral rockhounds can be filled with glow rocks at night - the last person never knowing what was left behind.