Database of luminescent minerals 

MELIPHANITE

Chemical formula: Ca₄(Na,Ca)₄Be₄AlSi₇O₂₄(F,O)₄

Status: IMA-GP

Display mineral: NON

Luminescence:

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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): Eu²⁺, Ce³⁺,  

Peaks in the spectrum (nm):

Ce3+? repl. Ca²⁺

Eu²⁺? repl. Ca²⁺  : 450nm

No spectrum yet

Comments on spectrum and activators:

The application of multiple forms of excitation (Friis et al. 2011) revealed that the UV-Blue emission in leucophanite and meliphanite consists of more than one emission center and is therefore more complex than previously thought. The most likely centers are defects related to the structure, e.g. in connection with the tetrahedral sites, and a Ce3+ center. The difference in Na/Ca ratio between the two minerals make it possible for REE to substitute into two sites in meliphanite contrary, to just one in leucophanite. The lower total REE content in meliphanite compared to leucophanite is consistent with a model whereby the formation of clusters is reduced and consequently generates sharper line emissions. The small difference in the average bond-length of the Ca coordination between the two minerals is consistent with the shift observed in the position of the Mn2+ emission. The excitation of specific REE in both leucophanite and meliphanite show that very little energy transfer occurs between different REE.
Conversely, excitation through the lattice excites all emission centers.
Both leucophanite and meliphanite have excellent luminescence properties, especially at low dopant levels.
Furthermore, the structural difference between the two related species indicates that meliphanite might be a promising phosphor. (Gaft)

Best localities for fluorescence (*):

• Båtbukta, Stokkøya, Langesundsfjorden, Larvik, Vestfold, Norway;

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

Bibliographic reference for luminescence:

• Fluorescence: Gems and Minerals Under Ultraviolet Light, Manuel Robbins, 1994, Geoscience Press, ISBN 0-945005-13-X ,
• Luminescent Spectra of Minerals, Boris S. Gorobets and Alexandre A. Rogojine, Moscow, 2002 ,
• Luminescenza nel regno minerale, Guido Mazzoleni, fotografia Roberto Appiani, Libri Sandit, 2010, ISBN 978-88-95990-63-7 ,

Reference for luminescence on the Internet:

Mineralogical reference on the Internet:

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

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

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