Fluorescent Zircon Crystal in Mica Schist - Norway

This beautiful specimen contains a deep red zircon crystal that is still partially embedded in the biotite (mica schist) matrix that it formed within. It was collected from Finnmark, Norway. It displays a stunning yellow fluorescence under short wave UV lighting! The zircon crystal measures .9" wide. The last photo shows the crystal under short wave UV light.

This specimen has been mounted to an acrylic display stand.

Zircon belongs to the nesosilicates group and forms as tetragonal crystals. Its common chemical formula is ZrSiO4, which can be altered by a variety of impurities. Certain impurities result in crystals with a wide variety of colors (white, colorless, blue, red, green, yellow, orange, brown, pink, purple, and gray). Certain impurities within zircon crystals can be radioactive, but that radioactivity is typically minimal and is generally believed to be safe, without posing any health hazards.

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