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);

(*)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 SERIE 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

Pictures:

• Hasselhojden, Sweden: http://www.mindat.org/photo-174166.html
• Spain: http://www.mindat.org/photo-484308.html

Mineralogical Reference on internet:

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

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

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