Fluorescence is one of several luminescence properties that a mineral might exhibit. Other luminescence properties include:

PHOSPHORESCENCE

In fluorescence, electrons excited by incoming photons jump up to a higher energy level and remain there for a tiny fraction of a second before falling back to the ground state and emitting fluorescent light. In phosphorescence, the electrons remain in the excited state orbital for a greater amount of time before falling. Minerals with fluorescence stop glowing when the light source is turned off. Minerals with phosphorescence can glow for a brief time after the light source is turned off. Minerals that are sometimes phosphorescent include calcite, celestite, colemanite, fluorite, sphalerite, and willemite.

THERMOLUMINESCENCE

Thermoluminescence is the ability of a mineral to emit a small amount of light upon being heated. This heating might be to temperatures as low as 50 to 200 degrees Celsius – much lower than the temperature of incandescence. Apatite, calcite, chlorophane, fluorite, lepidolite, scapolite, and some feldspars are occasionally thermoluminescent.

TRIBOLUMINESCENCE

Some minerals will emit light when mechanical energy is applied to them. These minerals glow when they are struck, crushed, scratched, or broken. This light is a result of bonds being broken within the mineral structure. The amount of light emitted is very small, and careful observation in the dark is often required. Minerals that sometimes display triboluminescence include amblygonite, calcite, fluorite, lepidolite, pectolite, quartz, sphalerite, and some feldspars.