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[Maxilos]

Hi all,

I bought this specimen in Wales last summer. The label only said: Eudialyte, Kipawa Complex Villedieu Twp, Québec.

Just now, when I was tidying my room, I came across this bright pink/purple mineral. And, as curious as I am, I searched Google. Mindat has this page about Kipawa. It said that the thorite that is found here is yellow of colour. Also it was said that it was fluorescent. pictures exactly like the specimen I have.

I thought thorite wasn't fluorescent. Is it correct that this thorite is indeed fluorescent? And, if anyone knows it, why is the thorite from this location fluorescent?

The yellow can be seen very clear in the pictures.

Thank you in advance,


Mark

[Mark Ost]

Hi Mark

I'll try to see what I can find on thorite fluorescence. You did notice this is often highly radioactive in the mindat advisory?

[keldjarn]

In Mindat you will see a photo of thorite with a green fluorescence SW. Thorite is often metamict and partly altered. I have specimens of thorite from other alkaline localities where the strong green fluorescens is unevenly distributed indicating that the fluorescence probably comes from the alteration products and not the thorite itself.

[Maxilos]

[Mark Ost]

Ok Mark, I have some information on the fluorescence of thorite.

According to M. Robbins some fluoresce a deep blue faintly. No information on the locality of these specimens is known. A yellow variety called orangite, from Norway, is reported to fluoresce deep green under both LW and SW.