Database of luminescent Minerals


ELBAITE


Chemical Formula: Na(Li,Al)3Al6(BO3)3Si6O18(OH)4

Familly: Silicates

Status: IMA-GP

Crystal System: Rhomboedric

Mineral for Display: No

Associated names (luminescent varieties, discredited names, synonymes etc.):  rubelliteachroite

Luminescence:


UV Type Main color Intensity Observation Frequency
Long Waves (365nm):      Blue
Mid waves (320 nm):      Yellow
Short Waves (254 nm):      Bluish White Strong
Other colors LW:     
Bluish White ,
Other colors MW:     
Yellowish White ,
Other colors SW:     
Yellowish White ,

Daylight Picture


TOURMALINE;
Photo and Copyright: James Hamblen
Site of the author
Used with permission of the author

Short Waves Pictures (254nm)


TOURMALINE;
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:


Watermelon tourmaline of the Dunton Gem Mine shows luminescence of the red core in intense sky blue.

In practice, all Dunton Quarry gem elbaite fluoresce. Although worldwide elbaite does not usually fluoresce, several Maine localities have this characteristic, but few localities have such a high proportion of their elbaite that is fluorescent. Elbaite from Newry with lepidolite replacement may have a creamy yellow fluorescence in both short and long wave UV due to the lepidolite's fluorescence. (see: http://www.mindat.org/photo-188642.html )

 

Small crystals of achroite from Elba show a classic blue fluorescence under UV at 380nm and a very unusual strong yellow fluorescence under UV at 306nm.

The activator is unknown, but achroite contains Mn and a large amount of Mg (15-20%); however, many tourmalines can contain as much Mg without fluorescing.

Very small crystals embedded in quartz are only detectable by their strong fluorescence.

Other colored tourmalines (pink, yellow and green) from Elba sometimes show very weak yellow luminescence.


Main Activator(s) and spectrum:


No data


Best Locality for luminescence(*):


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


Bibliographical Reference for luminescence:



Luminescence Reference on internet:



Mineralogical Reference on internet:


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

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

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A request providing no result means only that no such reference exists in the database, but it does not mean that what you are looking for does not exist, just not to our knowledge. If you think you have found an error or omission, please let us know via the contact page being sure to cite the source of information.

 


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