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Seldom do gem pieces of tugtupite from the famous gem mines atop Kvanefjeld reach the market. Pieces like this are reserved by the locals for cutting into gem cabochons, forever ruining it as collector's piece. Over the years we were able to rescue a few pieces like this, of exceptional quality.
Bright cherry red fluorescing tugtupite on an analcime, lujavrite and albite matrix. Very nicely tenebrescent. Under LW the color shifts to salmon.
Tugtupite is a very rare mineral - found in only three places around the world (Kola Russia, Mt St Hilaire, and Greenland). Pieces from Greenland are the most sought after due to coverage, size and brightness. Leucophanite, seen mostly on side 2 under MW, is only found in a few places around the world - most notably Norway, Canada (MSH), and Greenland. On this piece it occurs in the lujavrite matrix interspersed in the matrix. Although we have not yet had this analyzed we are pretty sure it's leucophanite. This is a recent discovery in some old pieces we have in inventory. It is quite rare. Responds best to midwave UV.We should note that, unlike hackmanite from Greenland, tugtupite is not quick to fade once it has changed color. Pieces might take days or even weeks to fade completely.
ÒFor ages, the Inuit of Greenland have understood the power of tugtupite. Legend has it that lovers can cause the stone to glow fiery red just from the heat of their romance. The brilliance and vibrant colors announce the intensity of their love.Ó (MinerShop - 2002)
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.
