Database of luminescent Minerals

SMITHSONITE

Chemical Formula: ZnCO₃

Familly: Carbonates

Status: IMA-GP

Crystal System: Rhomboedric

Mineral for Display: No

Luminescence:

Daylight Picture

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

Short Waves Pictures (254nm)

SMITHSONITE;
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:

Main Activator(s) and spectrum:

Most Common Activator: Mn²⁺

Other activators:            Organic impurities ,

Peaks in the spectrum (nm):

Mn²⁺? replacing Zn²⁺: peak at 500nm

Comments on activators and spectra:

Smithsonite has been studied by steady-state luminescence spectroscopy and evidently Mn²⁺ was found (Gorobets and Rogojine 2001).

Excitation by CW laser with 532 nm revealed one band peaking at 680 nm which is different from green emission previously ascribed to Mn²⁺. (Gaft)

Best Locality for luminescence(*):

• Tsumeb, Namibia (fluo Blue or Red SW);
• Skorpion Mine, Rosh Pinah, Oranjemund, Karas Region, Namibia (green SW);
• Alston Moor, Cumberland, England (fluo red SW);
• Miller Canyon, Huachuca Montains, Cochise Co, AZ, USA (fluo red SW);
• Cerro Gordo Mine, Inyo County, California, USA (violet/pink SW associated with hydrozincite blue-white SW);
• Klichkinskoye, Nerchinskii District, East Transbaikalia, Russia (fluo green);
• Touissit, Touissit District, Jerada Province, Oriental Region  Morocco ;
• El Refugio Mine, Choix, Choix Municipality, Sinaloa, Mexico (blue, red, violet SW) (+/-2007);

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

Bibliographical Reference for luminescence:

• 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 ,
• Handbook of Fluorescent Gems and Minerals, a practical guide for the gem and mineral collector, Jack de Ment, 1949 ,

Luminescence Reference on internet:

• http://www.minerant.org/archief/fluo-Belgie.pdf

 

Images:

 

•  El refugio mine, Mexico: https://www.mindat.org/photo-1052331.html

Mineralogical Reference on internet:

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

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

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