Database of luminescent minerals 

FORSTERITE

Chemical formula: Mg₂SiO₄

Family: Silicates

Status: IMA-GP

Crystal system : Orthorhombic

Display mineral: NON

Luminescence:

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

No data

Thermoluminescence: OUI

Activator(s) and spectrum:

Activator(s): Mn²⁺ , Cr³⁺,  Fe³⁺,  O^*,  

Peaks in the spectrum (nm):

Mn²⁺ repl. Mg²⁺ : Broad band peaking at 627-660nm  (decay time: 29ms)

Cr³⁺ repl. Mg²⁺ (?) : 683, 693nm 

Fe³⁺ repl. Si⁴⁺ : 710nm  

O*_Si around SiO₄ : 420, 440nm 

O*_Al (Al³⁺ - Si⁴⁺ : 470nm 

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

Best localities for fluorescence (*):

• Gabbs Valley Range, Mineral Co., Nevada, USA (?);
• Crestmore Quarries, Crestmore, Riverside Co., California, USA;
• ZCA No. 4 Mine (St Joe Mine), Balmat, Balmat-Edwards Zinc District, St. Lawrence Co., New York, USA (?);
• Limekiln Canyon, Pacoima, CA, USA (?) (blue, SW+LW);
• Cascade Canyon, San Gabriel Mts, San Bernardino 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 ,
• 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 ,

Mineralogical reference on the Internet:

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

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

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