BE MINCOOL - COLLECT. LEARN. DISCOVER.

FLUORITE

• Characteristics: Fluorite is a mineral most often found in green, yellow, purple, and iridescent hues. It occurs in massive veins, and in cavities, it forms perfect cubic crystals that are very popular among collectors. Fluorite is a very fragile and cleavable stone that requires exceptional care. Under UV light, the stone glows a diverse spectrum of colors from blue, through blue-violet, to yellowish. The fluorescence activator can be the content of trace amounts of rare earth minerals, and sometimes uranium or manganese ions. Conversely, the presence of iron can completely suppress fluorescence - which is why some fluorites do not glow at all.
• Occurrence: Among the best-known countries with occurrences of yellow fluorite are England, China, USA, and Germany. Our stone comes from China.

HYALITE

• Characteristics: Hyalite is a unique form of amorphous structured opal. Since hyalite lacks a crystal lattice, it does not form any crystals in nature, which is unique among minerals. It is translucent to clear and has a glassy to gelatinous appearance. This is why it is often called glass opal. Hyalite forms through hydrothermal activity at low temperatures or during volcanic activity. It is famous for its intense green fluorescence due to the presence of uranium—which occurs in it in the form of uranyl ions, which are not radioactive, and thus this mineral is completely safe from a health perspective.
• Occurrence: Hyalite deposits worldwide are primarily tied to volcanic areas—e.g., in the state of Zacatecas in Mexico, Ararat in Turkey, or the states of Oregon and Utah in the USA. Also in the Czech Republic, there is a globally significant hyalite locality near the village of Valeč in the Central Bohemian Region.

KUNZITE

• Characteristics: Kunzite is a pink to purple variety of Spodumene, a mineral from the pyroxene group. It was named after the American mineralogist George F. Kunz, who described it in 1902. Kunzite forms in lithium-rich pegmatites. It exhibits strong pleochroism, meaning its color changes when viewed from different angles, typically from almost colorless or pale pink to deep purple. This optical phenomenon is caused by light absorption. Kunzite often crystallizes in large columnar crystals and is a very valuable collector's specimen in mineralogical exhibitions around the world.
• Occurrence: The most beautiful and valuable samples of kunzite come from Afghanistan, specifically the Nuristan area. Other significant localities include the state of Minas Gerais in Brazil, Pakistan, and Madagascar.

LAPIS LAZULI

• Characteristics: The name lapis lazuli, translated as "blue stone," originated over a thousand years ago from the combination of the Latin word "lapis" (stone) and the Arabic word "lazul" (blue). From a mineralogical perspective, it is a dark blue metamorphic rock consisting mainly of blue lazurite and sodalite, with admixtures of grey-white calcite grains, golden pyrite, and mica. Under UV light, we can observe orange and red fluorescence, which is emitted by the sodalite component (usually due to microscopic inclusions of sulfur anions that cause the bright orange fluorescence).
• Occurrence: Among the best-known and highest-quality deposits, known since ancient times, is undoubtedly Afghanistan (the Badakhshan region). This is mainly due to the deep blue color of lazurite and the low proportion of calcite.

PETROLEUM QUARTZ

• Characteristics: This is a quartz crystal with enclosed gas-oil mixtures (so-called fluid inclusions), which formed in a geological environment with the presence of organic material (sedimentary rocks, especially in carbonate veins or geothermal systems). It is the presence of the petroleum that causes a bright blue-green to yellow color under UV light. Fluid inclusions are currently highly sought after by collectors, and their popularity continues to grow.
• Occurrence: The best-known localities include Chihuahua in Mexico, the Balochistan region in Pakistan, or Hunan Province in China.

RUBY

• Characteristics: Ruby is a rare and very hard mineral (hardness 9 on the Mohs scale) and is the red gemstone variety of corundum. Common gray-blue corundum does not fluoresce under UV light, but Ruby exhibits a pronounced red to crimson colour under UV light due to its chromium content. Ruby is considered one of the most valuable gemstones. The naming comes from the Latin term rubeus and reflects the mineral's red coloration. rubeus and reflects the red coloration of the mineral.
• Occurrence: Ruby is found in limestones, often also in granite rocks or secondarily in alluvial deposits. The main producer of gem-quality ruby material remains Burma (Myanmar), with other deposits in Sri Lanka, Thailand, Cambodia, and Madagascar. Our material comes from China.

RUBY ZOISITE

• Characteristics: Ruby in zoisite is a rare mineral composed of red to purple-colored ruby intergrown with a deep green zoisite matrix. Chemically, Zoisite is a calcium and aluminum silicate and gained its green color from a small admixture of chromium oxide. In Ruby-Zoisite, we can observe a strong red to crimson fluorescence, which is caused by the chromium content in the ruby's crystal lattice. This effect is very pronounced and is often used to differentiate ruby from fakes. The green zoisite itself usually does not fluoresce and may contain admixtures of vanadium or titanium that suppress fluorescence.
• Occurrence: It is mined at two localities in Tanzania (Longido and Lossogonoi), but these are now largely depleted, so the price of quality raw material is constantly increasing.

WILLEMITE

• Characteristics: Willemite is a typical mineral of hydrothermal veins, formed by the action of hot solutions rich in zinc and silicon in the Earth's crust. It can also form secondarily, by the alteration of other zinc minerals. Willemite most often occurs in white, gray, green, and red colors. It was discovered in the 19th century in Belgium. Its vibrant green fluorescence under UV light is characteristic and sought after by collectors. This property is caused by trace elements of manganese in the willemite's crystal lattice.
• Occurrence: Willemite occurs, for example, in the USA and Zambia, but it can also be found in the Czech Republic and Slovakia.

YOOPERLITE

• Characteristics: From a petrographic perspective, yooperlite is a rock (Syenite) rich in sodalite. Syenite is an igneous, dark rock that, unlike granite, does not contain quartz. It forms by the slow cooling and solidification of molten magma deep beneath the Earth's surface. Sodalite is a mineral representing sodium aluminosilicate with chlorine. It forms irregular grains and granular aggregates of blue color. Yooperlite glows a bright yellow or orange colour under UV light due to its sodalite content. In daylight, it appears as an unremarkable gray stone.
• Occurrence: Yooperlite was discovered in 2017 on the shores of Lake Michigan and immediately gained great attention from collectors. In addition to Lake Michigan, new deposits have appeared in several Chinese provinces, which is also where our material originates.