Mizzonite, Marialite, Scapolite. What's in a name?
Contributed by: FMS Admin
Date: May 7th, 2026
Locality: Lone Pine, Alabama Hills, Inyo County, California, USA (See on Mindat)
Size: 6 inches
Description:
Here is a beautiful, red fluorescing mizzonite from the mountains near Lone Pine, California. At least that is what the card reads. Mizzonite, it turns out, is an archaic term for marialite, which in turn, is a sodium rich variety of scapolite, an aluminosilicate. Phew. Regardless, the bright fushcia response in shortwave is quite pretty. The piece also shows some caliche and possibly a little aragonite.
Originally posted by Fire Viper on Nature's Rainbows in 2018.
Summary of luminescence responses:
Marialite (Mindat) (RRUFF)
- Fluorescence under Shortwave (254nm Lamp/Mercury) UV light: Red