Selenite, Baja California, Mexico

This is a cluster of white, bladed, intergrown crystals of selenite from an interesting location in Baja California, Mexico. Located at Scammon's Lagoon, near the town of Guerrero Negro, Baja California Sur, Mexico, is a large facility that produces salt by the evaporation of sea water. One of the products of this process are these beautiful rosette-like clusters of selenite crystals. In addition to providing aesthetic visible light display specimens, these selenite crystals are also fluorescent and phosphorescent under UV. Under all UV wavelengths the selenite blades show a soft, blue/white fluorescent response, brightest under long wave. After short wave UV, blue phosphorescence is seen, and a dim green phosphorescent response occurs following exposure to long wave UV. The size of this specimen is 64 x 43 x 28 mm, and it weighs 40 grams.

Mouse over the scrolling images for UV wavelength information.