blue-ray laser with rocks and minrals

shadowhound · Aug 12, 2011

i was just on a page on this site on about how people use blue-ray lasers, UV light torches to find minrals and rocks which glow under longwave and shortwave UV light i wanna get into this but im confused on whats best to buy and also i live in the UK

if someone could help me out please

also if you use a laser to search the ground isent it only a small dot ?

Kevlar · Aug 12, 2011

What you want to look for is 405nm and focus-able. This way you can focus to a flood and cover a bigger area. I would suggest getting at least a 100mW (200mW would be better) because when you have it focused to a flood the intensity is lowered. Think of a flashlight that can be focused, like a mag-lite. When it's focused to a point (throw) it is more intense but when focused to flood, it's not as intense.

I'm not sure about customs in U.K. but there are plenty of member here from the U.K. that could better answer where to buy one.

shadowhound · Aug 12, 2011

so a 200mw, focusable laser would be perfect ? i hope someone can give me a fair bit more info

chipdouglas · Aug 12, 2011

you will also want to wear your 405nm rated safety goggles.. they will block out the violet but let the floresence shine through

michael.

Ash · Aug 12, 2011

Yep. Orange (or yellow) 405nm safety glasses work the best. They really cut down on the UV, and bring out the fluorescence of the minerals.

I would recommend the 400mW (~380mW) 405nm from O-like for about $110: --> link <--
400mW might be a bit much on power, but I know it rains a lot in the UK and this one is fully waterproof, and of course focusable.

See my signature for a review thread about this laser.

SOG · Aug 15, 2011

Actually, I have always wonder... I wear prescription glasses, and when I buy my prescription glasses, they tells me it block out 99.9% of UV...

I wonder if it will.

1. block most of the bad reflection (diffraction) from a 405
2. make the 405 looks dimmer? (Because it block most of the UV?)

chipdouglas · Aug 15, 2011

they will block the uv from your laser. but they don't have a known density rating, so how much power they could take for how long is unknown.

but they will work for rock hunting.

michael.

Ash · Aug 16, 2011

Looked up UV blocking prescriptions and most ophthalmic and optical materials used for eyeglasses offer significant protection against UV radiation with a cut-off at 350 nanometers (deep UV).
The 405nm laser is above the wavelengths blocked and will appear exactly the same as without UV blocking prescription glasses.

chipdouglas · Aug 16, 2011

^^^^ not true. i ran my 90mw 405 throgh a clear glass uv protection sunglasses. it took the power down to less than 20mw. and they were clear, not tinted

michael.

Ash · Aug 16, 2011

Good info.
I did say most, not all and I'm not sure either as I don't wear glasses.

Seoul_lasers · Aug 18, 2011

shadowhound said:
i was just on a page on this site on about how people use blue-ray lasers, UV light torches to find minrals and rocks which glow under longwave and shortwave UV light i wanna get into this but im confused on whats best to buy and also i live in the UK

if someone could help me out please also if you use a laser to search the ground isent it only a small dot ?

I have used a 12x 405nm bluray to fluoresce minerals before. Many (UV) minerals will simply not fluoresce due to the fact that the spectrum of light from a blu-ray is a little too long. 360nm/365nm = longwave UV However, Organic dyes are HIGHLY sensitive to bluray diodes.

Autunite, Semi-Opal and (pink) Calcite are visible in 405nm. DO NOT have your laser set to a narrow focused beam due to obvious safety reasons. Widen the beam out and diffuse it.

SOG · Aug 22, 2011

I see, thanks for the prescription information guys, and I wonder if there are other short wavelength other than 405, I found most of the Materials I shine my 405nm on, doesn't have much reactions.

chipdouglas · Aug 22, 2011

^^^ i think you mean "405nm". there are, but they are quite expensive. i also don't know if they are in hand held form. member elektrofreak has a 360nm i believe.

michael

ChukiDori · Aug 22, 2011

What would be the point of this activity. It sounds cool but are there target minerals that are being searched for? is there monetary value in recovering rocks with these flourescent materials?

I wish you the best of luck with it whatever the case may be

chipdouglas · Aug 22, 2011

is there monetary value in learning how to roller blade?

having rocks that florese under uv light is just another cool thing to have/do.

michael.

Seoul_lasers · Aug 22, 2011

ChukiDori said:
What would be the point of this activity. It sounds cool but are there target minerals that are being searched for? is there monetary value in recovering rocks with these flourescent materials?

I wish you the best of luck with it whatever the case may be

Actually there is a point in shining UV light at minerals. Certain minerals give off particular colours when exposed to either short or long wave UV. One mineral in particular is scheelite, a particularly important ore of Tungsten. It glows red and green in shortwave UV. Another mineral series is the Uranium ores. The majority of which is identified by a Green/yellow fluorescence under long and shortwave UV. very few uranium bearing minerals lack fluorescence.

... the list continues.

blue-ray laser with rocks and minrals

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