The Fluorescent Minerals

Posted on:  |  National Museum of the Philippines

Did you know that minerals glow in the dark? For today’s #DignayanBiyernes, let us learn the reason behind it.

All minerals can reflect light but about 15% have the interesting property known as fluorescence. Fluorescence or glow, occurs when “activators” or specific impurities are present within the minerals. A single specimen may exhibit at least one color, spectacularly displayed when illuminated with the appropriate ultraviolet (UV) light wavelength in the dark. Minerals, when subjected to different UV wavelengths, respond by showing different colors. 

Fluorescence is used in mineralogy, mining, and petrology. Geologists sometimes use UV light when prospecting or searching for a particular mineral, examining for indicators of oil thermal maturity in oil and gas drills and cores, and tracing ore-bearing rocks in underground mines.  Fluorescence, however, is an unpredictable property, hence it is rarely or not routinely used in mineral identification.

If you want to see these amazing glowing minerals, you may book a tour at the National Museum of Natural History through this website.

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Text and image by the NMP Geology and Paleontology Division

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