MinerShop Blog

Welcome to the MinerShop blog. We write about pretty much anything that sparks our interest. We've sorted our articles into the categories below.

Fluorescent Mineral Show

Ultraviolation 2017 Show Report

As a short digression to provide background, Ultraviolation is a unique rock and mineral show in that only fluorescent minerals are sold.
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Ilimaussaq Complex, Greenland

The Fluorescent Minerals of Greenland

The Ilímaussaq complex is one of the world's most fascinating igneous complexes with an abundance of rare elements.
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2017 FMS Midwest Chapter Annual Meeting

2017 FMS Midwest Chapter Annual Meeting

The Midwest Chapter of the Fluorescent Mineral Society (FMS) held its first annual meeting at the Ben E. Clement Mineral Museum in Marion, Kentucky, on Saturday, September 16th.
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esperite and hardystonite classic franklin fluorescent mineral

Photographing Esperite (and other "hard rocks")

I have a nickname for esperite pieces – I call them “hard rocks”, very hard to photograph. Our rocks “glow” like a lightbulb. 
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Calcite and Willemite Phosphorescence

Catching the Afterglow - Taking Pictures of Phosphorescent Minerals

Many minerals exhibit an “afterglow” when the UV light is turned off. This glow can last for milliseconds or hours depending on the mineral. 
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Tenebrescent Tugtupite

Tenebrescence Experiments, Theories, Questions, and even some Facts

Recently I posted a question about Afghan sodalite (hackmanite) after reviewing the MinRec article about Sar-E-Sang. Someone reminded me that there was a large discussion on this topic last year. I dug out that discussion and copied it here to the blog. This is one reason we created Nature's Rainbows - to capture these excellent discussions. 
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Greenland Sodalite Hackmanite - Quick Change Artist, Tenebrescent Champion

Greenland Sodalite Hackmanite - Quick Change Artist, Tenebrescent Champion

Tenebrescence of Greenland sodalite is amazing. This is a piece of a deeply tenebrescent sodalite.
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Sodalite Hackmanite and Tugtupite Tenebrescent

Video of Tenebrescent Sodalite (Hackmanite) and Tugtupite

Tenebrescence is when minerals change color when exposed to sunlight, also known as reversible photochromism.
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