Brightly fluorescent hydrozincite and calcite from the historic Columbia Mine, Marion, Kentucky. Under short wave UV (254nm) the hydrozincite shows a spectacular veined blue/white response, and the calcite fluoresces a beautiful red/pink color. The specimen was collected in 2015 during a night dig sponsored by the Ben E. Clement Mineral Museum.
Located on private property, the Columbia Mine dates back to the 1800s and was originally owned by then President Andrew Jackson. The Columbia was also the first mine established in the historic Illinois/Kentucky Fluorspar District. The Columbia Mine was originally mined for argentiferous galena as a source of silver, but was later mined for zinc in the form of sphalerite. Today it provides easy collecting of spectacular fluorescent mineral specimens.
The size of this specimen is 11.1 x x 6.5 x 5.8 cm, and it weighs 396 grams.
When viewed under short wave UV (254 nm), the calcite fluoresces pink/red and the hydrozincite sky blue.
The same rock shown under daylight.