Flourescent epoxy coating?

Obijuan · **Joined:** Sat Aug 10, 2024 1:35 am **Posts:** 2

I'm new to collecting rocks and minerals, and am particularly fascinated by fluorescent specimens. Recently, i saw this amethyst sphere in a shop that fluoresced in a speckled pattern on the surface under long wave uv light, and continued to glow even after the light was removed. Is this some kind of fluorescent pigment impregnated epoxy coating to improve the surface finish? None of my other spheres glow like this.

Barbra Voltaire, FGG · **Posted:** Tue Aug 20, 2024 12:41 pm

My first thought is that amethyst does not fluoresce or luminesce.
Curious!
What is the wavelength of the UV you are using?

Stephen Challener · **Posted:** Tue Aug 20, 2024 1:06 pm

What are the odds its actually fluorite?
But reain filling is also a real possibility.

1bwana1 · **Joined:** Thu May 12, 2016 2:18 am **Posts:** 1567

Stephen Challener wrote:

What are the odds its actually fluorite?
But reain filling is also a real possibility.

Exactly what I am thinking. It looks like Fluorite to me...

Obijuan · **Joined:** Sat Aug 10, 2024 1:35 am **Posts:** 2

Oops sorry didn't realise people had replied as i did not get an email notification. Thanks for the replies!

>it glows under 365, 310 and 255nm, but strongest under 365nm.
>realised it's not just fluorescent, but also continues glowing in the dark for quite a long time after UV source is removed
>not sure if it's fluorite beneath, but my other fluorite specimens glows a deep uniform blue throughout, whereas this is a strong greenish surface glow,and only from the speckles.

Let me double check if the inside is also glowing (the outer glow is so strong i didn't notice)

Stephen Challener · **Posted:** Fri Sep 06, 2024 9:06 am

If it's phosphorescing they have probably glued strontium aluminate glow powder to it.

Barbra Voltaire, FGG · **Posted:** Fri Sep 06, 2024 11:48 am

All these insights lead me to suggest you contact the shop where you bought it and inform them that they really got the identification of this sphere WRONG!

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