including Varieties of Agate and Chalcedony

Silicon dioxide                                                                                                                         Hardness 7

Crystallized quartz is very seldom fl; however the agate and chalcedony varieties will often fl green or yellow-green, being activated by a slight content of uranium compounds. The fl is usually best SW and rather slight LW. Agate and chalcedony which fl green are found in a number of localities in the western United States and Mexico. The well known moss agates of Sweetwater County, Wyoming will generally fl a deep green.

Agate from near Medicine Bow, Wyoming shows an excellent pale green fl, depending on the amount of dark manganese inclusions. Fl chalcedony roses are found in various areas of Arizona. The southern Black Hills have produced quantities of chalcedony which fl green in association with a calcite which fl pink. Thunder egg agate nodules having fl areas have been found in both Oregon and New Mexico. Beautiful banded agate with green fl has come from Mexico.


A bright green fl is characteristic of a considerable number of secondary uranium minerals. This fl is usually best SW and is generally yellow-green in hue. The uncommon mineral andersonite sometimes fl a brilliant blue-green. Autunite is the most frequently seen of the fl uranium minerals and is described separately.

Schroekingerite or Dakeite, a hydrated fluo-carbon ate-sulfate of sodium, calcium and uranium with a hardness of 21/2, is found as small concretions in clay at Wamsutter, Wyoming -- also as a coating on tunnel walls at the Hillside Mine, Yavapai County,Arizona.

Swartzite, a hydrated carbonate of calcium, magnesium and uranium, is another mineral found as a coating on the walls of the Hillside Mine. It occurs as tiny prismatic crystals which fl bright green.

a hydrated carbonate of sodium, calcium and uranium is another brightly fl uranium mineral found as an efflorescence on the walls of the Hillside mine. Andersonite has been found as a crumbly fl coating near Grants, New Mexico. The Grants material fl blue-green LW and brilliant blue-green SW.

The uncommon hydrated basic uranium sulfate minerals uranopilite, meta-uranopilite and zippeite all fl bright yellow-green. Of these three minerals, zippeite alone is found in the United States where it occurs in anasphaltic sandstone at Fruita, Utah and in Gilpin County, Colorado. The uranium mineral Novacekite has recently been found associated with aragonite in the area of Placeres de Guadalupe, Chih., Mexico.

These aragonite crystallizations with novacekite inclusions are often magnificent fl specimens.


Zinc silicate                       ,                                                                                                 Hardness 51/2

The most famous locality for fl willemite is the zinc mines of Franklin, New Jersey where willemite is an important ore. Further description of willemite will be in the "Franklin" section. An excellent fl and ph willemite has also been found in Pinal County, Arizona in association with red fl calcite. Fl willemite has also been found in small quantity in some of the other Arizona mines.


Fluorescent Color

RED, PINK

Calcium carbonate                                                                                                                  Hardness 3

While aragonite usually fl orange or cream, pink fl aragonite has been found in the sulfur mines of Sicily and brilliant red fl crystals have been found at Broken Hill, New South Wales, Australia.


Calcium carbonate                 .                                                                                                Hardness 3

Calcite is the most common fl mineral. Depending on the activator, calcite may fl almost any color but the most frequent fl is red or pink resulting from manganese activation. Usually the red fl calcites are best SW, but many are also good LW. Specimens are found which fl in shades of red varying from a soft bluish pink to a brilliant orange-red. The calcites which fl red usually have an extremely brief but brilliant orange-red ph SW.

Calcite is recognized by its low hardness, and rhombohedral cleavage. It often forms white seam coatings in rock. Crystals in great variety are common in pockets, seams and geodes.

Well known localities include the zinc mines of Franklin and Ogdensburg, New Jersey which produce calcite that fl in nearly every shade of red. Langban, Sweden is another well known locality. Outstanding red fl calcite crystals have been found in Dumfrieshire, Scotland and at Broken Hills, New South Wales, Australia. In Mexico excellent red fl calcite crystals have been found at San Louis Potosi, Charcas and Santa Eulalia. The mines at Santa Eulalia near Chihuahua city are well known for their red fl calcite crystal phantoms. Ludlow, California has also produced fl diamond shaped phantoms which result from the intermittent presence of manganese activator during the growth of the crystals. Red fl calcite crystals have been found at Bisbee, Arizona. Most of the trap rock quarries of New Jersey have produced red or pink fl calcite crystals. Calcite which fl red is found from time to time in mines and quarries almost everywhere. The well known calcite from Terlingua, Texas which is fl and ph SW will often fl a beautiful pink LW.