Database of luminescent minerals 

COLEMANITE

Chemical formula: Ca₂B₆O₁₁ 5H₂O

Family: Borates

Status: IMA-GP

Crystal system : Monoclinic

Display mineral: NON

Luminescence:

Daylight picture

COLEMANITE with minor calcite,
United Borax Mine Prospect, San Bernardino County,
California, USA
Photo and Copyright: James Horste
Used with permission of the author.

Longwave (365nm) picture

COLEMANITE (fluo white), calcite (fluo yellowish) UVLW,
United Borax Mine Prospect, San Bernardino County,
California, USA
Photo and Copyright: James Horste
Used with permission of the author.

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

Activator(s) and spectrum:

No spectrum yet

Comments on spectrum and activators:

The fluorescence of colemanite was first observed in 1903 by Kunz and Baskerville.

Best localities for fluorescence (*):

• Boraxo Mine (Kern Borate Mine; Boraxo deposit; Boraxo No. 1 and No. 2; Clara claim; Thompson Mine; Tenneco Mine), Ryan, Furnace Creek Borate District ( Death Valley Area Borate Deposits), Inyo Co., California, USA; 
• Boron, Kramer District, Kern Co., California, USA; 
• Bandırma (Panderma), Balikesir Province, Marmara Region, Turkey;
• Kestelek Mine, Mustafakemalpascha, Bandirma  Turkey (2005, LW+SW intense zoned);
• Bigadiç, Balikesir Province, Marmara Region, Turkey;
• Corkscrew Canyon Mine, Ryan, Furnace Creek Borate District (Death Valley Area Borate Deposits), Inyo Co., California, USA;

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

Mineralogical reference on the Internet:

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

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

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