Database of luminescent minerals 

HARDYSTONITE

Chemical formula: Ca₂ZnSi₂O₇

Family: Silicates

Status: IMA-GP

Crystal system : Tetragonal

Display mineral: OUI

Luminescence:

Daylight picture

HARDYSTONITE with minor Willemite,
Franklin, New Jersey zinc mine, USA;
Photo and Copyright: James Van Fleet

Shortwave (254nm) picture

HARDYSTONITE (UVSW) with minor Willemite (fluo green)
and some Clinohedrite (fluo orange)
Franklin, New Jersey zinc mine, USA;
Photo and Copyright: James Van Fleet

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

No data

Comments:

A classics for Franklin minerals collectors.

Some samples appear to fluoresce brighter under MW than SW; this phenomenon could be due to the fact that the response of the willemite often associated is duller under MW, so the fluorescence of hardystonite is better viewed. 

Activator(s) and spectrum:

Activator(s): Mn²⁺ , Pb²⁺,  Ce³⁺,  Dy³⁺,  Gd³⁺,  Tm³⁺,  

Peaks in the spectrum (nm):

Pb²⁺: 355nm
Ce³⁺: 378nm
Ce³⁺: 400nm
Mn²⁺: 525nm
Mn²⁺: 545nm
Mn²⁺: 575nm
Gd³⁺ : 312nm
Dy³⁺ : 480, 575nm
Tm³⁺ : 452nm

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 (2 spectra)

Comments on spectrum and activators:

Pb²⁺  : 355 nm 
Mn²⁺ :  525 and 575nm
Ce³⁺ : 378, 400 nm
Tm³⁺, Dy³⁺

Decay time: several ms

Best localities for fluorescence (*):

• Franklin mine, Franklin, New Jersey, USA;
• Desert View Mine, Fawnskin (Grout), Bear Valley District, San Bernardino 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 ,
• 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 ,

Reference for luminescence on the Internet:

Mineralogical reference on the Internet:

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

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

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