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We recently returned from a wonderful adventure in Greenland mining for rare fluorescent minerals. Over the next few months, we'll be listing our finds on our website and eBay account. There were some interesting new finds we have not seen in prior specimens out of this area.
This incredible colorful and bright specimen comes from remote Taseq Slope in the Ilimaussaq Complex of Greenland, where you will find the highly sought-after “Fantasy Rock.” Found only in this specific area, these rocks are known for their intense array of colors and glow under UV light. This variety of fantasy rock comes from the same host rock that would be nicknamed "Ultamite". This nickname stuck early on in the Greenland tours when a tour member decided to name it as such. "The Last Rock You'll Ever Need". These pieces are an absolute exquisite assemblage of tugtupite, sodalite (hackmanite), chkalovite, polylithionite & natrolite (both missing from this piece) all on a background of analcime which glows a blue-white under shortwave uv.
The tugtupite fluoresces a deep cherry red under shortwave UV and a salmon-orange under longwave. The delicate veining on this material clearly illustrates tugtupite replacing chkalovite and offers up fascinating “eye” patterns. You’ll also find orange fluorescent sodalite that is tenebrescent and streaks of black arfvedsonite running throughout the matrix.
The specimen also displays some tenebrescence, adding another layer of visual interest depending on light exposure.
Fantasy Rock typically contains a mix of tugtupite, sodalite, chkalovite, and analcime—this specimen has them all. It's a great example of the kind of mineral combination that makes this location so unique and collectible.
What is tenebrescence? This is the process when the sodalite on this piece changes color after exposure to UV (shortwave or longwave), darkening to a purple as shown in the GIF - a unique hue compared to other Greenland sodalites.
They were nicknamed "Yooperlites" which is derived from the name “yooper”. A yooper is a nickname for the Upper Peninsula natives and these fluorescent stones quickly gained fame. After data was published on these fluorescent stones, it was discovered that sodalite is the actual true mineral that is fluorescing orange.
365nm UV light is often called "blacklight". Before the advent of longwave UV LEDs, blacklight fluorescent tubes, (the kinds used in hippie days to light up psychedelic posters) were the standard longwave UV light for our hobby. They were not very powerful but they did light a large area.
Enter 365nm UV LEDs
First, an animation showing the difference between the UV flashlight we recommend (365nm filtered UV flashlight) versus unfiltered 395nm UV flashlights we see many folks carrying around at shows. So. much. visible purple light. We selected a bunch of rocks as a demonstration. Took pictures of them under his flashlight without the filter and then with the filter.
