Importantly not all specimens of these minerals will fluoresce as minerals typically require an ion actuator to glow.
Long wave uv light for minerals.
Note that the response of most fluorescent minerals to uvb medium wave uv is not described although some black lights emit uvb as a component of broad spectrum uv.
Long wave uv is in the uv a range and has been incorrectly labeled blacklight if it were truly black it would have no effect since.
The mineral lights needed to prospect for our magnificent glow rocks are expensive and serious lights are only available from a few manufacturers.
As i mentioned earlier the inexpensive led black light lamps almost always emit long wave uv light.
A few minerals fluoresce the same color in all wavelengths others fluoresce in only one wavelength usually sw and yet others fluoresce different colors in different wavelengths.
This material is from franklin new jersey.
Uv mineral lights rock collecting is a cheap hobby.
Ultraviolet c or uvc or short wave uv light spans the wavelength range from 280nm down to 100nm although wavelengths below 200nm are strongly absorbed by the oxygen in air.
The longwave light is a filtered led located on the side that emits longwave uv at approximately 365nm.
Fluorescent rock collecting is an expensive hobby.
This means that a large amount of visible light is passing through the filter which over powers or drowns out the actual uv light.
Ultraviolet wavelengths are usually divided into three groups.
Long wave mid wave and short wave.
This fantastic larger mineral measures 6 1 8 x 5 3 8 x 5 weighs nearly 5 1 2 pounds and has an excellent mix of the three minerals.
90 of fluorescent minerals require a filtered shortwave uv light.
What follows is a collection of some of the more common and or well known fluorescent minerals.
Provides maximum power from 18650 battery 6 watt 1750ma 4 2 volt dc best ultimate professional longwave uv mineral flashlight 365nm uva black light.
For the best black light look for bulbs with an output between 365 to 368 nm.
There are many different kinds of lights out there.
For the fluorescent mineral collector there are three useful wavelengths of ultraviolet light.
Some are simply not suitable for fluorescent mineral collecting.
Typically your less expensive long wave uv light flashlights will use led black light bulbs.
There are some minerals however that will glow under long wave uv light or long wave black light.
Of course the effectiveness of the uv black light bulb depends on its construction.
Uv a from 400 nanometers nm to 315 nm uv b from 315 nm to 280 nm and uv c from 280 nm to about 160 nm.
It shows an awesome brilliant green and orange under short wave uv light and a pink and green under a long wave uv light.