[Rockhounds] REE, calcite, and lost and hidden secrets of the stones...

[Kreigh Tomaszewski]

Some writings from someone who has collected Terlingua calcite
	http://www.terlinguacalcite.com/html/about_terlingua_calcite.html
and a report on the collecting status
	http://www.terlinguacalcite.com/html/collecting_status.html

A note it comes from the Mercury mines in Terlingua
	http://www.fluorescentminerals.com/terlinguacal.html

A list of the mines around Terlingua
	http://www.mindat.org/lsearch.php?loc=terlingua



On Tuesday, Jul 8, 2008, at 10:28 America/Detroit, Pmodreski at aol.com 
wrote:

>
>
> Sure, Terlingua is a "real" locality, whether or not material can 
> currently
> be collected.
>
>
> I consider Terlingua one of the Great Blank Spots in information  about
> mineral localities.  Because, I think, anyone who knew or knows the  
> least thing
> about where exactly (or even, generally) around Terlingua the  
> fluorescent &
> phosphorescent calcite is found, has kept their knowledge very  
> private, not
> wanting anyone else to jump them and collect it there, I don't  
> believe I have
> ever heard or read anything, about just where (what mines or  
> propsects, or
> whatever) and in exactly what mode of occurrence, this "classic"  
> calcite is from;
> nor have I ever read anything at all resembling first-hand  collecting 
> stories
> about it.  Please, anyone, correct me if I am wrong, and  if such 
> material
> has ever been written or shared!  I think there is less  known about 
> the source
> of the Terlingua calcite, than there used to be  about things in 
> "Darkest
> Africa"!  I've read about people visiting  Terlingua and collecting 
> calcite, but
> it has been "common" calcite, not the  strongly fluorescent material.
>
> In a message dated 7/8/2008 4:19:21 AM Mountain Daylight Time,
> axel.emmermann at pandora.be writes:
>
>
> If I  remember correctly it 's cerium(/lead?) + manganese/lead that 
> cause  the
> pink fluorescence in long wave UV and cerium =>europium that are  
> responsible
> for the blue phosphorescence in short  wave.
>
>
>
>
> And, Axel, I think you are going beyond anything that is definitely 
> known
> here.  Yes, it has been hypothesized that europium is "probably" the 
> cause  of
> the blue fluorescence and phosphorescence, but that's about it I 
> think, as  far
> as real knowledge.  Other minerals that fluoresce due to europium 
> (such  as
> fluorite) fluoresce LW rather than short, and do not phosphoresce; and 
> Mn/Pb
> produces the common red/orange fl. in calcite, but that's quite unlike 
> the pink
>  LW of Terlingua-type calcite.  So I still think everybody is just 
> guessing
> at this.  I know a few people have played around with some research on 
>  this,
> but I don't think anything formal or conclusive has ever been
> published--again, I'd LOVE to know that I am wrong, and I would love 
> it if  anyone could
> direct us to any actual published articles giving hard data about  
> this type of
> calcite!
>
> keep on rockin' and glowin',
> Pete
>
>
>
>
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