What is the best UV flashlight for rocks and minerals?
With the days getting shorter and the nights getting longer, you might be ready to go on some geology adventures after dark. If so, are you considering buying a UV light to help find those bright fluorescent rocks and minerals?
With so many choices out there, it can be confusing to pick the UV light that's right for you.
Warning: collecting fluorescent minerals can become addictive and lights can get very, very expensive. I'm not going to go into details about lights for rock cabinets and home displays, or professional field lights. These are basic lights for the rock collecting hobbyist.
I've narrowed it down to two choices: the Alonefire SV003 and the Convoy C8+.
Both emit a 365 nm wavelength, which is far better than many UV flashlights found at stores, which generally have a wavelength of 395 nm.
At 365 nm, there is less light that is visible to people. Objects, like rocks, will appear to fluoresce more.
These two pieces of fluorite will be our models. The larger rock is from the Silver District in La Paz County, Arizona. The smaller one is from the 3 Clowns Pocket near Oatman, Arizona.
This picture was taken shining the Alonefire SV003 UV flashlight on the rocks.
Pros:
-Smaller, at only 4.69" long, which makes it easy to throw in a pocket or small compartment of your rock bag -It is also much cheaper than the Convoy C8+
-Comes with rechargeable battery
Cons:
-Not as bright. Up close it's great, but for any distance it's kind of dim
Pros:
-More powerful, and can fluoresce things up to 80 feet away
-Has a glass filter to absorb even more visible light
-Waterproof
Cons:
-Larger, 9.8" long, making it bulkier to store in small places like pockets
-Expensive, more than twice the price of the Alonefire
Both lights do a fantastic job showing the fluorescence of these beautiful fluorite samples.
My vote is for the Alonefire SV003. It fits conveniently in the mini side compartment of my rock bag, next to my HCl bottle. If I'm walking around the desert at night, I can still find fluorite and other fluorescent rocks and minerals near my feet and a short distance in front of me. Sometimes I even light up an unsuspecting scorpion. For the price, I don't have to worry about being too delicate with it.
Those on team Convoy C8+ might be able to light up the rocks and minerals in the next county. Or, if water is a factor in your rockhounding expeditions, it might be a better light to consider. However, to me the size and price just aren't worth it.
