What has happened to all the glow-hounds

[dan]

I looked through the threads about fluorescent minerals and wondered if you all had quit collecting or what was going on. Has the interest just died out, have all the lamps stopped working or what?

[rockshine]

Dan, since you are a science teacher, consider the periodical wave functions as in ocean waves. All along there are quiet little waves, but ever so often, a bigger one comes along that stirs up a little more interest, then suddenly a huge wave, like a trip to Marion KY stirs up a crescendo of interest, followed by a relatively quiet time again. Of course, injecting some new source or unfamilar material can rekindle the chatter.
From you serious glowhounds: how difficult is it to photograph the "glow"? (I can't remember how to spell flouresence) I have discovered that some of the Chunky Gal clear-white- felsic type material is sprinkeld with interior specks that glow orange-orange (no red tinge at all).

[rockshine]

Not the whole stone, just tiny spots glow.

[dan]

Gentlemen,
I thank you for the well thought and intriguing responses. Perhaps we need another thread on the physics of mineral collecting. Just kidding Rick. Dan ;D

[bammer]

Dan,
Where is your UV stuff?

Our interest in the glowrocks has not diminished just our posts and photos.

I collected Fluorescent Apatite from the Ray mine recently. I will try to post some photos. My SW UV field light preformed well. (see other UV posts about the light)

I also gave a fluorescent mineral demonstration at the Girls Scout camp a few weeks ago. It was a big hit, may have converted a few rockhounds from that one. We also screened for Montana sapphires, I think they may have liked that project a bit more than the fluorescent mineral demonstration...who doesn't like to find sapphires.

I also have all the parts minus the filter for another 35Watt Short Wave UV 12Volt Field light I plan to build.

I hope this answers your questions,... Still collecting, interest is high and the lamps are working fine.

Hope to collect with you sometime, next time we are at a dig together I will try to bring my light and some minerals and we can have a look.

rockshine: it is kind difficult to photograph the UV minerals with a UV light source as the autofocus will always be 'off', you must use a manual focus and even then it is difficult to get a good shot.
Check out this link for some attempts at UV photography.
www.parmalapidary.com/images/fm/fm.htm

[colorshapetexture]

Hey Bammer. I picked up some Bennet Mountain Agate.
The guys ad said.
About 80% of this material is flourescent under a UV light, lots of neon green, but other colors also.
I will bring some to see um under uv. As they are agate I thought I would cab the stuff. But dont know if it will glow under people black light or if it takes the ones that will poke your eyes out. Otherwise its not too interesting as cutting material.
But I had never heard of agate that glowed. So between me getting to try it as a lapadary material and you glow heads I got a 1/2 box from the guy. Jim

[ncbbqnut]

Jim,

Agate is basically banded chalcedony, and chalcedony from many locations will fluoresce. Here is a piece I collected on private property on the east side of the Davis Mountains in Jeff Davis Co., TX in 1974.








Pretty nice fluorescence for pretty basic chalcedony.

Dennis

[Barrett]

Benitoite spec. I sold about 1 1/2 years ago. Was pretty decent about the size of a small grapefruit across

[dan]

Bammer,
Fair point! I haven't mastered the technique of photographing fluorescent minerals yet is the real answer. I am real tickled to see all of the responses. I will try to learn more photography and get some of my stuff up on the board. Look forward to collecting with you. Dan

[bikerchick]

I just noticed this thread. I'm a glow hound too. Most of my stuff is from Ca and AZ but still expanding my collection now that I have transplanted to the midwest. So far I have not purchased my samples....just love finding it myself.

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[rockshine]

Most folks think rockhounding is just a day job, but we who know the glow know that it is easy to turn it into a twentyfour hour a day project.

[HeadieRocks]

I have done quite a bit of searching for fluorescent material here in Oregon, and not had a lot of luck. A little calcite, a little agate, and some crystals I just harvested from a new quarry this week I think may be analcime. Oh, I also have the only fluorescent material apparently ever found in my barite mine, and it is a very small amount...Unfortunately, not much glows out here...

[racermon]

they all went blind from the uv reflecting off the rocks

[eechler]

Sound like PA. Everything glows white that I found. Got one big Ugly calcite that glow red. Camera does not take good glowing pics. Need something with a manual focus.

[coldwatergold]

Just picked up a couple 5 gallon buckets of florescent stuff from Afton Canyon, Ca,..not sure what they are, most pieces glow orange and green, the calcite I know and it glows a cool red....coldwatergold

[mikeyrocks]

Still glowing in Arizona!
Well nice to see the responses to Dan's inquiry. I need to see what I can do about photography with the fluorescent materials. I was out five days ago near Gold Nugget Road (east of Quartzsite, AZ on I-10)
and scored some nice Chalcedony Roses and buttons which are fluorescing nicely. Currently cleaning up the better pieces in Oxalic Acid (wood bleach). I am also slicing and cleaning up some very large Mexican Geodes which are looking good as well. The larger ones are as big as basketballs. Piks soon....tc all.