Database of luminescent minerals 

meteorite

Chemical formula:

Status: NON APPR

Display mineral: NON

Luminescence:

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Phosphorescence (in the common sense of the term) observable with the naked eye:

No data

Comments:

Flight (1887) found that oldhamite particles from the Bustee meteorite (India) had an orange phosphorescence. The luminescence of other meteorites was investigated by Tassin (1908), but with unsatisfactory results. Kalaczowska(1938) has observed a greenish phosphorescence on part of a polished surface of the Lowicz meteorite (Warszawa district, Poland) but after irradiation with X-Rays.

The most thorough studies in the luminescence of meteorites have been  made by j. Buddhue (1940)examining 23 meteorites with filtered ultraviolet lights of all wavelenghts, X-rays and electron and ion streams. Six meteorites were found strongly luminescent, 4 moderatly, nine weakly and 4 non-luminescent. He found yellow luminescence in the Washougal meteorite with a very brief afterglow and yellow-white phosphorescence lasting  for about one minute in the meteorite of Sioux County, Nebraska. All of the bright fluorescent meteorites were light colored and all of the non luminescent were dark colored. In two of the strongly responding meteorite and in one weakly luminescent he also found red fluorescing spots.

Buddhue observed that usually the amount of inactive material inside the meteorites containing fluorescent spots could be roughly paralleled with the amount of olivine reported in the analysis of the stone suggesting that the fluorescent material might be enstatite. The olivine of a sample from the Holbrook meteorite was removed by soaking in acid and the residue was found to be almost entirely luminescent. But an almost entirely composed of enstatite meteorite (Bishopville meteorite) gave a disappointing result, most of the stone showing no fluorescence, maybe due to the presence of other minerals present. (adapted from de Ment, 1949) 

Eucrites and CV3 are best candidates in the world of meteorites to show some fluorescence.

The Norton County aubrite is about 85% enstatite and 10% forsterite. Forsterite grains in this meteorite are clearly fluorescing a beautiful yellow color under LW. Forsterite is the magnesium rich (iron poor) end member of the olivine solid solution series. Some of the enstatite grains in the same meteorite fluoresces blue. (John Kashuba see https://www.meteorite-times.com/fluorescent-meteorites/)

NWA 11516 Eucrite-pmict is another fluorescing meteorite. In this case, it is iron-poor pyroxene wich fluoresces as individual grains and within clasts in this polymict eucrite. Lines of terrestrial contamination fluoresce too. (John Kashuba idem)

Sometime, meteorites are contaminated by terrestrial products (contaminants) like calcium carbonate—caliche—deposited by water in cracks in the matrix and around angular clasts of weathered meteorites. (see example in the previous cited article for meteorite NWA 7900 LL6)

Research on longwave UV fluorescence (365nm) has also been carried out on Martian meteorite (Zagami) which have shown (in addition to the fluorescence of the epoxy with which it have been impregnated) the presence of blue fluorescent phosphate containing Na (probably whitlockite). (https://www.lpi.usra.edu/meetings/lpsc2012/pdf/2349.pdf)

Activator(s) and spectrum:

No spectrum yet

Best localities for fluorescence (*):

Localities are not really adapted for meteorites but here are the names of some fluorescing meteorites:

• The Norton County aubrite (LW: yellow forsterite and blue enstatite, John Kashuba)
• NWA 11516 Eucrite-pmict (LW blue , iron-poor pyroxene,John Kashuba)
• Dhofar 007 Eucrite (blue LW, John Kashuba)
• Allende CV3 (LW red fluorescing CAI (Ca–Al-rich inclusion) , John Kashuba)
• Zagami meteorite (Na Phosphate fluorescent LW in blue, probably whitlockite)

(*)The data are not exhaustive and are limited to a few remarkable localities for fluorescence

Bibliographic reference for luminescence:

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

Reference for luminescence on the Internet:

Mineralogical reference on the Internet:

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

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

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