Green Sodalite
Some brief Observations
Green sodalite exhibits dramatically strong tenebrescense - but most people don’t see the initial color of the mineral when it is broken from the matrix. Almost all of the rocks within the Illimaussaq complex show a strange coloration when initially broken (first exposed to daylight). This color is always darker than the piece normally is (on exposure to light). Once the color fades on most of the minerals, it cannot be brought back by UV exposure.
The green sodalite does respond strongly to UV light and is highly tenebrescent. But in the following animation note that the tenebrescense caused by UV light is not the same return to the initial color pattern when the mineral is first broken. The complete piece darkens to a deep purple, where only certain areas were purple when the mineral was first broken from the matrix.
For more on this unusual property, check out the animations - but watch out, large images, high-bandwidth area ahead:
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