Database of luminescent minerals 

PYROMORPHITE

Chemical formula: Pb₅(PO₄)₃Cl

Family: Phosphates, Arseniates, Vanadates

Status: IMA-GP

Crystal system : Hexagonal

Display mineral: NON

Luminescence:

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

No data

Comments:

Variety: campylite (rounded crystals)

Activator(s) and spectrum:

Activator(s): Eu³⁺, Pb²⁺,  Ce³⁺,  Sm³⁺,  Eu³⁺,  Tb³⁺,  O^-₂,  VO₄^3-,  

Peaks in the spectrum (nm):

(VO4)^3- : Broad band peaking at 580nm

Ce³⁺ : 350, 375nm

Eu³⁺ : 580, 594, 611, 613, 615, 620, 622, 700nm

Sm³⁺ : 566, 603, 652nm

Nd³⁺ : 858, 889nm

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

Comments on spectrum and activators:

Luminescence centers O₂^-  (Tarashchan 1978) and evidently (VO₄)^3- (Gaft 1984) characterize steady-state spectra of pyromorphite.

Laser-induced time-resolved technique enables to detect Ce³⁺, Eu³⁺, Sm³⁺ and Tb³⁺ emission centers and possibly Pb²⁺.

Excitation by CW laser with 532 and 780 nm revealed narrow luminescence lines possibly belonging to trivalent REE (Nd, Eu, Sm) and two luminescence bands peaking at 625 and 675 nm (sample from Les Farges, France, unknown activator).

Best localities for fluorescence (*):

• Rosenberg Mine, Braubach, Bad Ems District, Lahn valley, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany (orange MW);
• Society Girl Mine, Moyie, British Colombia, Canada ;
• Dao Ping Mine, Guangxi Autonomous Region, China (a small percentage of the samples of this mine is yellow fluorescing MW; the lighter colored samples seem to have a better chance to be luminescent, appearing on the market in Ste marie aux Mines in 2007);
• Bunker Hill Mine, Bunker Hill properties, Kellogg, Coeur d Alene District, Shoshone Co., Idaho, USA (dull fluo SW+LW);
• Kabwe Mine, Broken Hill, Zambia (dull fluo SW yellowish brown);
• Resuperferolitica Mine, Minas Viejas, Santa Eufemia, Córdoba, Andalusia, Spain (fluo LW & SW);
• Les Farges Mine, Ussel, Corrèze, Nouvelle-Aquitaine, France (LW & SW);
• Pcheloyad Mine, Momchilgrad, Kardzhali Province, Bulgaria (LW);
• Broken Hill, Broken Hill district, Yancowinna Co., New South Wales, Australia (Very fluorescent long & short UV);
• Black Star pit, Mount Isa, Mount Isa City, Queensland  Australia (fluorescent long & short UV);

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

Reference for luminescence on the Internet:

Mineralogical reference on the Internet:

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

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

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