Database of luminescent minerals 

sapphire   (French name: saphir )

Chemical formula: See CORINDON

Family: Oxides and hydroxides

Status: NR

Crystal system : Rhomboedric

Display mineral: NON

Luminescence:

Daylight picture

Saphire
Col. G.Barmarin; Photo: G. Barmarin

Longwave (365nm) picture

Saphire, UVLW
Col. G.Barmarin; Photo: G. Barmarin

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

No data

Activator(s) and spectrum:

Activator(s): Cr³⁺, Fe³⁺,  

Peaks in the spectrum (nm):

Cr³⁺ replacing Al : Lines at 692.8, 694.3nm  (R₁ and R₂ lines)

Cr³⁺ :  658.2 , 668.2 ,  674.1 , 680 (small lines)  

N-lines (Cr³⁺ pairs) : 705.8 , 712nm (small lines)

Fe³⁺ : broad band peaking at 896nm (Sapphire)

No spectrum yet

Comments on spectrum and activators:

Activator: Cr3+ replacing Al giving strong well known 2E->4A2 lines with long decay time

Besides that, much weaker narrow lines present, which are connected with Cr-pairs and more complicated complexes (so called N-lines) (Tarashchan 1978).

Best localities for fluorescence (*):

• Madagascar;

(*)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 ,

Reference for luminescence on the Internet:

Mineralogical reference on the Internet:

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

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

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