WULFENITE
Chemical Formula: PbMoO4
Familly: Tungstates, Molybdates
Status: IMA-GP
Mineral for Display: No
Associated names (luminescent varieties, discredited names, synonymes etc.):
chillagite,
Luminescence:
UV Type |
Main color |
Intensity |
Observation Frequency |
|
| | | |
Long Waves (365nm): | Red | Very weak | | | | | |
Other colors LW: | Orange , Tawn , |
Other colors SW: | Green , |
Daylight Picture
WULFENITE;
Photo and Copyright: James Hamblen
Site of the author
Used with permission of the author
Short Waves Pictures (254nm)
WULFENITE;
UVSW
Photo and Copyright: James Hamblen
Site of the author
Used with permission of the author
Phosphorescence (in the common meaning of the term) seen by naked eye:
No Data
Comments:
Wulfenite from the Finch Mine (Gila County, Arizona, USA) is reported to fluoresce green due to a thin coating of hyalite activated by uranium impurities.
Chillagite: wulfenite containing tungsten.
Main Activator(s) and spectrum:
Most Common Activator: MoO42-
Other activators: (UO2)2+ (Uranyl ion) as impurities ,
Peaks in the spectrum (nm):
UO22+ : Broad band peaking at 550 - 660 nm (Gorobets)
(?) : broad band at 669nm (sample from Chile, exc 532nm)
(?) : broad band at 718nm (sample from Mexico, exc 532nm)
Nd3+ : peaks at 804, 873, 890nm (exc. 780nm)
No spectrum for the moment
Comments on activators and spectra:
Wulfenite was studied by steady-state luminescence spectroscopy and luminescence of (MoO4)3- metal-oxygen complexes was found (Gorobets and Rogojine 2001).
Excitation by CW laser with 532 and 780 nm revealed narrow luminescence lines possibly belonging to Nd3+ and several broad luminescence bands of unknown origin. (Gaft)
Best Locality for luminescence(*):
- Red Cloud Mine, Yuma County, Arizona, USA;
- Mammoth, Arizona, USA;
- Teresita Mine, Can Donadeu, Sant Fost de Campsentelles, Comarca Vallès Oriental, Barcelona, Catalonia Spain (±1950, var. chillagite, weak LW+SW);
- Tombstone Mining District, Cochise County, Arizona, USA;
- Tsumeb Mine, Tsumeb, Oshikoto Region, Namibia (Dolomite fluo orange SW + wulfenite deep red SW);
- Touissit, Touissit-Bou Beker mining district, Jerada Province, Oriental Region, Morocco (SW);
- Sidi Amer, Touissit-Bou Beker mining district, Jerada Province, Oriental Region, Morocco (Minor fluorescence long & short UV)
(*)Data are not exhaustive and are limited to the most important localities for fluorescence
Bibliographical Reference for luminescence:
- The Henkel Glossary of Fluorescent Minerals, Dr. Gerhard Henkel, Published by the FMS, 1989 ,
- 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 ,
Luminescence Reference on internet:
Mineralogical Reference on internet:
http://www.mindat.org/show.php?name=Wulfenite
http://webmineral.com/data/Wulfenite.shtml
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