Database of luminescent Minerals

BADDELEYITE

Chemical Formula: ZrO₂

Familly: Oxides and hydroxides

Status: IMA-GP

Crystal System: Monoclinic

Mineral for Display: No

Luminescence:

Phosphorescence (in the common meaning of the term) seen by naked eye:

Main Activator(s) and spectrum:

Most Common Activator: n[TiO₆] cluster

Other activators:            (UO₂)²⁺ (Uranyl ion) as impurities , Sm³⁺ , Dy³⁺ , TiO₆ ,

Peaks in the spectrum (nm):

TiO₆  : broad band peaking at 520 - 550nm 

Dy³⁺ : lines at 490nm 

Sm³⁺ : 549nm

Comments on activators and spectra:

Steady-state spectra of baddeleyite are characterized by bright green-blue luminescence which was ascribed to Ti impurity (Gaft et al. 1981a). Besides that, emission lines of trivalent Dy and Sm have been found (Eremenko and Khrenov 1982). (Gaft)

Activator: TiO₆ (trace) with lines from Dy and Sm. Also possibly U.

Cathodoluminescence: greenish-blue (Khibiny);

Best Locality for luminescence(*):

• California State Gem Mine (Dallas Gem Mine; Benitoite Gem Mine), Santa Rita Peak, New Idria Mining District, San Benito Co., California, USA;
• carbonatite at Kovdor Massif, Kola Peninsula, Murmanskaja Oblast, Northern Region, Russia;
• Vuoriyarvi alkaline-ultrabasic massif, Northern Karelia, Murmanskaja Oblast, Northern Region, Russia;
• Khanneshin complex, Dushan District, Helmand Province, Afghanistan;

(*)Data are not exhaustive and are limited to the most important localities for fluorescence

Bibliographical Reference for luminescence:

• Fluorescence: Gems and Minerals Under Ultraviolet Light, Manuel Robbins, 1994, Geoscience Press, ISBN 0-945005-13-X ,
• Luminescence Spectroscopy of Minerals and Materials, M. Gaft, R. Reisfeld, G. Panczer, Springer Editor, ISBN: 10 3-540-21918-8 ,
• Luminescent Spectra of Minerals, Boris S. Gorobets and Alexandre A. Rogojine, Moscow, 2002 ,

Mineralogical Reference on internet:

  http://www.mindat.org/show.php?name=Baddeleyite

  http://webmineral.com/data/Baddeleyite.shtml

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