Purple Hackmanite - Afghanistan

Contributed by: FMS Admin
Date: May 3rd, 2026
Locality: Sar-e-Sang, Kuran wa Munjan District, Badakhshan, Afghanistan (See on Mindat)

Description:
If you like fluorescent rocks, you will really like this. I recently purchased a flat of top-grade extreme color changing hackmanite mine rough from Afghanistan for the studio. I noticed that some of the specimens have crater-like pits that seem to have burned the rock. In the center of each pit is a bit of green. The top left specimen has a relatively large infection. These rocks are extremely sensitive to ultraviolet light, and the array of colors is not yet well understood. All pictures taken under the studio UV Breeze with a 35mm lens at F22, ISO 100. I am interested in what you think.

Originally posted by UV Studio on Nature's Rainbows in 2016.

Fluorescence under midwave UV light.

Fluorescence under longwave UV light.

Fluorescence under shortwave UV light.

Afterglow after exposure to shortwave UV light.

Fluorescence under fullwave (LW + MW + SW) UV light and white light.

Tenebrescence after exposure to shortwave UV light.

Normal light.

Summary of luminescence responses:

Hackmanite (Mindat) (RRUFF)

• Fluorescence under Longwave (365nm LED) UV light: Orange
• Fluorescence under Midwave (305nm Lamp/Mercury) UV light: Pink
• Fluorescence under Shortwave (254nm Lamp/Mercury) UV light: White
• Afterglow after exposure to Shortwave (254nm Lamp/Mercury) UV light: Blue
• Tenebrescence after exposure to Shortwave (254nm Lamp/Mercury) UV light: Purple