Database of luminescent Minerals

SPHALERITE

Chemical Formula: (Zn,Fe)S

Familly: Sulfide

Status: IMA-GP

Crystal System: Isometric

Mineral for Display: Yes

Luminescence:

Daylight Picture

SPHALERITE;
Franklin Mine, Franklin Mining District, Sussex Co., New Jersey, USA
Photo and Copyright:
Middleearthminerals.com
Used with permission of the author

Long Waves Picture (365nm)

SPHALERITE;
Franklin Mine, Franklin Mining District, Sussex Co., New Jersey, USA
UVLW, Photo and Copyright:
Middleearthminerals.com
Used with permission of the author

Short Waves Pictures (254nm)

SPHALERITE;
Franklin Mine, Franklin Mining District, Sussex Co., New Jersey, USA
UVSW, Photo and Copyright:
Middleearthminerals.com
Used with permission of the author

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

Triboluminescence: Yes

Thermoluminescence: Yes

Comments:

synonyme: blende ; brunckite = colloïdal sphalerite  ;

variety cleiophane: orange SW and LW;

Main Activator(s) and spectrum:

Most Common Activator: Mn²⁺

Other activators:            Cu⁺ ,

Peaks in the spectrum (nm):

Mn²⁺ replacing Zn²⁺ : large band peaking at 595 nm 

V_Zn-Cl^- : 450-460-470nm

Cu⁺-Ga³⁺, Cu⁺-In³⁺ repl Zn²⁺ : 640-670-675nm 

Comments on activators and spectra:

Ed. Becqurel studied the decay of the phosphorescence of the different component (bands) of the spectrum of ZnS, proposing a number of mathemetical expression to interpret this phenomenon (1860).

One of the oldest studies on activator in zinc sulphide was made by H. Grune (1904). He noted that a small amont of manganese in ZnS produced an orange luminescence and triboluminescence in a very similar way as the natural mineral. Jorrissen and Ringe (1904) also studied zinc sulfide fluorescence.

The influence of the irradiation by a red light and infrared radiations upon the photoluminescence has been studied by C. Peirce (1906) under a variety of conditions.

Nichols found the presence of 48 bands/peaks in the spectrum coinciding in part with thallium, Erbium, Ytterbium. 

[after De Ment, 1949]

Best Locality for luminescence(*):

• Sterling Hill mine (Franklin), Ogdensburg, Sussex county, New jersey, USA;
• Massive sphalérite in Baryte matrix, Hot Springs, Madison County, North Carolina, USA;
• Horn Silver Mine, Frisco, San Francisco District (Frisco District), San Francisco Mts, Beaver Co., Utah, USA;
• Bisbee, Warren District, Mule Mts, Cochise Co., Arizona, USA;
• Luccheti Quarry, Carrara area, Tuscany, Italy (xl in marble fluorescing yellow);
• Hasselhojden, Grythyttan, Hällefors, Västmanland, Sweden;
• Las Manforas Mine, Camaleño, Icos de Europa, Cantabria, Spain (red LW);
• Sweet Home Mine, Mount Bross, Alma Mining District, Park Co., Colorado, USA (better known for his rhodochrosite crystals, sometimes sphalerite (orange LW) associated with fluorine (blue LW) comes from this mine)

(*)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 ,
• The World of Fluorescent Minerals, Stuart Schneider, Schiffer Publishing, 2006, ISBN 0-7643-2544-2 ,
• 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 ,
• Mt St Hilaire Website: http://www.saint-hilaire.ca ,
• Handbook of Fluorescent Gems and Minerals, a practical guide for the gem and mineral collector, Jack de Ment, 1949 ,

Luminescence Reference on internet:

• Influence de la structure cristallographique sur les spectres optiques des ions de la série du fer dans ZnS, T. Buch, A. Geoffroy et B. Lambert, Journal de Physique, 1974
• The Langesundsfjord: history, geology, pegmatites, minerals, Alf Olav Larsen, Bode Verlag Gmbh, 2010 ISBN 978-3-925094-97-2
• Fluorescent Sphalerite and Wurtzite from the Carrara Area, Antonello Dallegno, Guido Mazzoleni in Journal of the Fluorescent Mineral Society, vol 33, 2013
• http://www.minerant.org/archief/fluo-Belgie.pdf
• MONT-SAINT-HILAIRE, History, Geology, Mineralogy, Laszlo HORVATH, The Canadian Mineralogist, Special Publication 14, 2019

 

Images:

 

• Hasselhojden, Sweden: http://www.mindat.org/photo-174166.html
• Spain: http://www.mindat.org/photo-484308.html
• Sweet Home Mine, Colorado, USA: https://www.mindat.org/photo-996115.html
• Triboluminescence: https://www.mindat.org/photo-796260.html

 

Videos:

 

• Phosphorescent Sphalerite from Miller Canyon, AZ

Mineralogical Reference on internet:

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

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

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