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Sorensenite crystals are found in a ridiculously hard analcime matrix and - when you can find them - are usually found as a nodule, flat in the middle of a giant boulder, with no options to extract them. Power tools are required to drill, blast and saw to obtain matrix pieces of any size. Sorensenite is fluorescent a creamy white SW and forms as blades in an analcime matrix. The green fluorescence is uranyl activated fluorescence in the analcime/lujavrite matrix. The matrix is mostly analcime, with pockets of crystals scattered throughout.
Sorensenite is a beryllium tin silicate, extremely rare - found only in the Ilimaussaq Complex, Greenland - nowhere else in the world - a rarity in itself. Specimens are found in a couple of places within the complex but one area (Steenstrupe Field at the bottom of Kvanefjeld Mt. - a field of house-sized boulders) produces the best pieces such as this.
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.
