Polylithionite, Tugtupite, Sodalite, Chkalovite, Analcime, Uranyl Green - Greenland

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These specimens are unique to Kangerlussaq in the Ilimaussaq Complex, Greenland. One summer, ten members of that year's Geo-Tour scoured the outcrops for the source of this material. One member finally found it on the last day before our departure. We excavated it during the following summer's GeoTour (sadly, the "finder" didn't make that trip).

Bright yellow polylithionite (lithium mica) forms a vein atop a pastel blue fluorescing chkalovite. Bright deep pink tugtupite (also phosphorescent) dot several areas. Sodalite fills out the rest of the rock. Both the sodalite and the tugtupite are very tenebrescent - but the tugtupite on these pieces can fool you. Its tenebrescence is a deep purple instead of the typical gemmy red; unique to this locality (Kangerlussaq).

Also, note how the tenebrescent sodalite areas appear to fluoresce a deep purple under shortwave UV - a function of the tenebrescence we believe.

Captions show the wavelengths and other details. The animation shows easy viewing of the tenebrescence