Database of luminescent minerals 

ESPERITE

Chemical formula: PbCa₃Zn₄(SiO₄)₄

Family: Silicates

Status: IMA-A

Crystal system : Monoclinic

Display mineral: OUI

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

Luminescence:

Daylight picture

Shortwave (254nm) picture

ESPERITE under UVSW,
Photo and Copyright: James Hamblen
Site of the author
Used with permission of the author

Pictures Galery:

  
  Go to the galery (4 pictures)

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

No data

Thermoluminescence: OUI

Comments:

synonyme: calcium larsenite. Associated with willemite (green), hardystonite (dark-blue), calcite (red) and clinohédrite (orange), esperite from franklin give the most exciting combinaison of luminescent colors in one sample.

Activator(s) and spectrum:

Activator(s): Mn²⁺ , Ce³⁺,  Sm³⁺,  Dy³⁺,  

Peaks in the spectrum (nm):

Ce³⁺: 400nm
Mn²⁺ replacing Zn: narrow band peaking at 540-545nm
Sm³⁺ replacing Ca²⁺: small peaks at 600, 645nm
Dy³⁺ replacing Ca²⁺: 482, 575nm
Reabsorption at 580nm by Nd³⁺ and at 660nm by UO²⁺

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

Spectrum Galery:

  
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Comments on spectrum and activators:

Activator: Mn²⁺ (6 coordinated) in Zn and Ca position accompanied by Ce3+,Dy3+ and Sm3+ lines (Gaft).
Decay time: 9 ms

Best localities for fluorescence (*):

• Franklin, New Jersey, USA;
• El Dragón mine, Antonio Quijarro Province, Potosí Department, Bolivia (microcrystals);

(*)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 ,
• Ultraviolet Light and Fluorescent Minerals, Th. Warren, S. Gleason, R. Bostwick, et E. Verbeek, 1995, ISBN 0-9635098-0-2 ,
• Franklin Website: http://franklin-sterlinghill.com ,

Reference for luminescence on the Internet:

Mineralogical reference on the Internet:

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

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

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