PHENACITE
Chemical Formula: Be2SiO4
Familly: Silicates
Status: IMA-GP
Mineral for Display: No
Luminescence:
UV Type |
Main color |
Intensity |
Observation Frequency |
|
| | | |
Short Waves (254 nm): | Red | | | | | | |
Phosphorescence (in the common meaning of the term) seen by naked eye:
UV Type |
Color |
Intensity |
Observation Frequency |
Long Wave (365nm): | Blue | | |
Main Activator(s) and spectrum:
Most Common Activator: Mn2+
Other activators: Fe3+ ,
No spectrum for the moment
Comments on activators and spectra:
Phenakite was studied by steady-state luminescence spectroscopy and supposedly Fe3+ emission was found (Gorobets and Rogojine 2001).
Excitation by CW laser with 532 and 780 nm revealed several luminescence lines which may be evidently ascribed to Nd3+ and band peaking at 670 nm of unknown origin.
Phenacite (containing Be) and willemite (containing Zn) are isostructural and can be mixed in composition. Mn as activator gives orange-red luminescent color.
Russian scientist demonstrated that trivalent Fe could give the pure red luminescent color for phenacite like in Madagascar samples and in feldspar.
Best Locality for luminescence(*):
- Mount Antero, Chaffe county, Colorado, USA; Madagascar;
(*)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 ,
Mineralogical Reference on internet:
http://www.mindat.org/show.php?name=Phenacite
http://webmineral.com/data/Phenacite.shtml
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