Tugtupite from Greenland

Contributed by: FMS Admin
minID: FLD-HPV
Date: May 12th, 2026
Locality: Ilímaussaq complex, Kujalleq, Greenland (See on Mindat)
Size: 5 x 1.8 x 5.4 cm

Description:
Cute little specimen of tugtupite, associated with chkalovite (assumed ID), along with some uranyl-activated green fluorescence, plus some blue fluorescing unknown, from the Ilímaussaq complex, Narsaq, Kujalleq, Greenland, recently acquired in a trade.

Under shortwave UV (shown in the first image below), the tugtupite fluoresces bright red, and the chkalovite fluoresces white (the green fluorescing mineral is probably also chkalovite, but it could be something else). Under midwave UV (second picture), the fluorescence of the tugtupite shifts to a pinkish color, and under longwave UV (third picture) it turns orange. The fourth picture shows the pink tenebrescence of the tugtupite, and the fifth picture shows its natural color after "bleaching" the tenebrescence with a bright white LED light.

Originally posted by Frédéric Messier Leroux on Nature's Rainbows in 2022.

Fluorescence under shortwave UV light.

Fluorescence under midwave UV light.

Fluorescence under longwave UV light.

Tenebrescence after exposure to shortwave UV light.

Normal light.

Summary of luminescence responses:

Tugtupite (Mindat) (RRUFF)

• Fluorescence under Longwave (365nm LED) UV light: Orange
• Fluorescence under Midwave (305nm LED) UV light: Pink
• Fluorescence under Shortwave (255nm LED) UV light: Red
• Tenebrescence after exposure to Shortwave (255nm LED) UV light: Pink