Database of luminescent minerals 

BOLTWOODITE

Chemical formula: (K,Na)(UO₂)(SiO₃OH) 1,5H₂O

Family: Silicates

Status: IMA-GP

Display mineral: NON

Luminescence:

Daylight picture

BOLTWOODITE, Rössing Mine, Namibia;

Col. G.Barmarin; Photo: G. Barmarin

Longwave (365nm) picture

BOLTWOODITE, Rössing Mine, Namibia; UVLW

Col. G.Barmarin; Photo: G. Barmarin

Shortwave (254nm) picture

BOLTWOODITE, Rössing Mine, Namibia; UVSW

Col. G.Barmarin; Photo: G. Barmarin

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

No phosphorescence visible to the naked eye under any type of UV

Comments:

Fluoresces dull yellowish-green to brown in both SW and LW UV

Activator(s) and spectrum:

Activator(s): (UO₂)²⁺ (ion Uranyle) intrinsèque ,

Peaks in the spectrum (nm):

470, 500, 520, 545, (555), 565-570 

large band around 578nm with events at 503, 521, 563 and 602nm 

485.1, 501.5, 521.2, 543.0, 567.4, and 591.4 nm (Thuro Arnold and Nils Baumann)

Col. G. Barmarin; Spectre: G. Barmarin

Comments on spectrum and activators:

Gorobets: 18850 cm-1, 18050 cm-1;

fluorescence lifetimes of 382 and 2130 ns (bi-exponential)

Best localities for fluorescence (*):

• Rössing Mine, Arandis, Swakopmund District, Erongo Region, Namibia;
• New Method Mine, San Bernardino County, California, USA (dull green SW associated with fluoborite cream SW);

(*)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 ,
• Luminescent Spectra of Minerals, Boris S. Gorobets and Alexandre A. Rogojine, Moscow, 2002 ,
• Uranium minerals Website: http://www.uraniumminerals.com ,
• Introduction to radioactive minerals, Robert Lauf, Schiffer Publishing, 2008, ISBN 978-0-7643-2912-8 ,

Reference for luminescence on the Internet:

Mineralogical reference on the Internet:

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

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

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