Database of luminescent minerals 

FLUORAPOPHYLLITE

Chemical formula: KCa₄Si₈O₂₀(F,OH) 8H₂O

Family: Silicates

Status: IMA-A

Crystal system : Tetragonal

Display mineral: NON

Associated names (luminescent varieties, discredited names, synonyms, etc.): apophyllite, 

Luminescence:

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

No data

Activator(s) and spectrum:

Activator(s): (UO₂)²⁺ (ion Uranyle) en impureté, Ce³⁺,  Mn²⁺ ,  

Peaks in the spectrum (nm):

(UO₂)²⁺ : band around 525nm with peaks at 504, 522, 544nm

Mn²⁺ replacing Ca²⁺ : band peaking at 600-625nm

Ce³⁺ replacing Ca²⁺ : 343, 355, 365, 372nm

[VO4]^n- or [TiO4]^n- replacing [SiO4] : 500nm

Spectrum: Michael Gaft, Petah Tikva, Israel. Plot: Institute of Mineralogy, University of Vienna, Austria, with permission of the authors.

Spectrum Galery:

  
  Go to the galery (4 spectra)

Comments on spectrum and activators:

A specimen from the Nadym River area fluoresces red due to manganese activator. From Mont Saint-Hilaire, crystals have been found that fluoresce intense blue like that of Fluorite under SW, MW, and LW (Jacques Poulin). Also Green luminescence due to U impurities in this locality (pics around 525 nm).

Two different Mn2+ luminescence centers have been found in steady-state spectra of apophyllite: in Ca position with orange luminescence peaking at 600 - 620 nm and in K position with green emission peaking at 500 nm (Tarashchan 1978 cited by Gaft).

Best localities for fluorescence (*):

• Poudrette quarry, Mont Saint-Hilaire, La Vallée-du-Richelieu RCM, Montérégie, Québec, Canada;
• Ilimaussaq complex, Kvanefjeld, Narsaq, Kitaa (West Greenland) Province, Greenland;
• Palmer shaft, Franklin Mine, Franklin, Sussex County, New Jersey, USA;
• Paterson, Passaic Co., New Jersey, USA;
• Budore Quarry, Co. Antrim, Ulster, Northern Ireland, UK;
• Talisker Bay, Talisker, Carbost, Minginish, Isle of Skye, Inner Hebrides, Highlands  Scotland / United Kingdom (Jordi Fabre);

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

Bibliographic 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 ,
• 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 ,

Reference for luminescence on the Internet:

Mineralogical reference on the Internet:

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

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

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