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An exceptionally rare, gem-grade green fluorescent sodalite (hackmanite; the namesake for tenebrescent sodalite) sphere from Greenland’s Ilímaussaq Complex, custom cut from material selected for its remarkable color and fluorescent response. Greenland sodalite spheres of this caliber are virtually never encountered on the mineral market, making this an extraordinary display piece for the advanced fluorescent mineral or Greenland collector.
In white light, the sphere displays an unusual gemmy translucent green with natural inclusions and contrasting mineralization throughout. Under UV light, nearly the entire sphere glows a blindingly bright orange fluorescence, responding brilliantly under longwave, midwave, and shortwave UV.
This specimen features extraordinary tenebrescence. After exposure to UV, the hackmanite rapidly darkens from its natural green coloration to a remarkably deep grape-purple, producing one of the most dramatic examples of tenebrescence we have encountered in Greenland sodalite. The transformation is completely reversible. A bright white light restores the original color within seconds, allowing the effect to be repeated again and again. The animated image demonstrates this remarkable color change.
The second side of the sphere contains tugtupite, along with a small occurrence of green chkalovite and very minor polylithionite, further representing the unusual mineralogy for which Greenland's Ilímaussaq Complex is famous.
This is not a commercially produced sodalite sphere, but a one-of-a-kind collector specimen fashioned from exceptional Greenland material.
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.
