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"Red" sodalite is found in one area along the southern shore of the Tunuliarfik Fjord. It is named because the almost colorless sodalite turns a nice reddish color when exposed to sunlight. Exposed to shortwave UV (UVC) it deepens to a grape purple (tenebrescence). The color is faded by exposure to any UV free white light, and can be repeated indefinitely. (See the animation picture)
Under SW UV the colors on this piece really make for an interesting specimen. Bright green fluorescence is uranyl activated while the blue fluorescence is from an unknown mineral. The sodalite starts out a nice bright orange and deepens to a rust color as the tenebrescence sets in. Under LW the whole pieces fluoresces a nice bright orange.
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.
