We have run out of stock for this item.
The fluorescent activators have not been studied from this area and itÕs very unclear what is going on with most of the material from this locality. But they sure do make for some confusing but amazingly beautiful fluorescent specimens.
This piece (as most from Afghanistan) is best displayed using multiple wavelengths, and shows best under a combination of longwave, midwave and shortwave (fullwave), although it is very respectable under SW alone (second pic) - or even MW or LW alone.
There are many scapolite (var. marialite) crystals that are fluorescent a bright yellow LW and dimmer yellow SW. The phlogopite glows a bright yellow SW and a butterscotch color MW (and LW).
Tricolor phlogopite such as this is unusual.
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.
