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Chris Clemens

Sphalerite, Ophir Hill Mine, Tooele County, Utah

Sawn slab of zinc ore consisting of sphalerite, galena, and other unidentified minerals, from the Ophir Hill Mine, Tooele County, Utah. Under long wave UV (365 nm), the sphalerite shows an orange fluorescent response. This specimen measures 18 x 15 x 1 cm and weighs 508 grams.


The Ophir Hill Mine in Tooele County, Utah is known by fluorescent mineral collectors as a source of lovely fluorescent scheelite and calcite specimens. This fluorescent sphalerite is an uncommon find from the location.

The above photograph shows the specimen under long wave UV (365 nm). The sphalerite shows orange fluorescence and disseminated grains of an unidentified mineral fluoresce blue.

Same specimen shown under visible light. This is a sawn slab of zinc ore consisting of grey sphalerite, metallic galena, and other unidentified minerals.

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