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Terlingua calcite is one of the most spectacular and beautiful fluorescent minerals due to its bright, multi-colored, multi-wave, fluorescent response, and bright, persistent phosphorescence. Terlingua calcite shows bright blue fluorescence under shortwave UV, with bright and long-lasting phosphorescence. Under longwave UV, the fluorescent response is bright pink. True Terlingua calcite comes from only one source- the mercury mines of Terlingua, Brewster County, Texas, with the most notable location being the Little 38 Mine, located 4 miles west of Terlingua.
These mines have been closed for years, and many have been reclaimed, making the collection of new material very difficult, if not impossible. Calcite showing a similar fluorescent response, but collected from other locations, is referred to as “Terlingua-type” calcite.
365nm UV light is often called "blacklight". Before the advent of longwave UV LEDs, blacklight fluorescent tubes, (the kinds used in hippie days to light up psychedelic posters) were the standard longwave UV light for our hobby. They were not very powerful but they did light a large area.
Enter 365nm UV LEDs
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.
A major component of rock collecting (for us) is simply getting out in nature. A buddy dragged us out to a very remote area here in middle Tennessee to hunt for fluorescent green agate. Since we consider ourselves pure "Glow Hounds" we weren't anticipating any glow rocks, just the beauty of the area, but we brought our UV lights anyway.
