Luminescence, fluorescence et phosphorescence des minéraux: bibliographie

SMITHSONITE

Chemical formula: ZnCO₃

Family: Carbonates

Status: IMA-GP

Crystal system : Rhomboedric

Display mineral: NON

Luminescence:


Longwave UV (365nm) colors:	Violet , White , Yellowish White , Pale Yellow , Violet red ,

Midwave UV (320nm) colors:	Violet blue , Violet ,

Shortwave UV (254nm) colors:	Violet red , Red , Green , Blue , Bluish , Violet , Violet blue ,

Daylight picture

SMITHSONITE;
Photo and Copyright: James Hamblen
Site of the author
Used with permission of the author

Shortwave (254nm) picture

SMITHSONITE;
UVSW
Photo and Copyright: James Hamblen
Site of the author
Used with permission of the author

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

Type d'UV	Couleur	Intensité	Fréquence d'observation
UV longs (365nm):	Yellowish White	Weak	Rarely
UV moyens (320 nm):	Yellowish White	Weak	Rarely
UV courts (254 nm):	Yellowish White	Weak	Rarely

Activator(s) and spectrum:

Activator(s): Mn²⁺ , ST (Singlet-triplet)-Matière organique en impureté,

Peaks in the spectrum (nm):

Mn²⁺? replacing Zn²⁺: peak at 500nm

No spectrum yet

Comments on spectrum and activators:

Smithsonite has been studied by steady-state luminescence spectroscopy and evidently Mn²⁺ was found (Gorobets and Rogojine 2001).

Excitation by CW laser with 532 nm revealed one band peaking at 680 nm which is different from green emission previously ascribed to Mn²⁺. (Gaft)

Best localities for fluorescence (*):

Tsumeb, Namibia (fluo Blue or Red SW);
Skorpion Mine, Rosh Pinah, Oranjemund, Karas Region, Namibia (green SW);
Alston Moor, Cumberland, England (fluo red SW);
Miller Canyon, Huachuca Montains, Cochise Co, AZ, USA (fluo red SW);
Cerro Gordo Mine, Inyo County, California, USA (violet/pink SW associated with hydrozincite blue-white SW);
Klichkinskoye, Nerchinskii District, East Transbaikalia, Russia (fluo green);
Touissit, Touissit District, Jerada Province, Oriental Region Morocco ;
El Refugio Mine, Choix, Choix Municipality, Sinaloa, Mexico (blue, red, violet SW) (+/-2007);
Buena Tierra Mine,Francisco Portillo, Santa Eulalia Mining District, Chihuahua, Mexico (blue, red, violet SW,dusky rose SW)

(*)The data are not exhaustive and are limited to a few remarkable localities for fluorescence

Bibliographic reference for luminescence:

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:

http://www.minerant.org/archief/fluo-Belgie.pdf
UV-Waves Vol.51, Nr.1, article by John Rofrano

Images:

El refugio mine, Mexico: https://www.mindat.org/photo-1052331.html

Mineralogical reference on the Internet:

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

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

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Note: While all due attention has been paid to the implementation of the database, it may contain errors and/or accidental omissions. By nature, the database will always be incomplete because science always evolves according to new analysis.
A request providing no result means only that no such reference exists in the database, but it does not mean that what you are looking for does not exist, just not to our knowledge. If you think you have found an error or omission, please let us know via the contact page being sure to cite the source of information.