Sodalite Crystal with Richterite
Contributed by: Mark Cole
Date: Mar 12th, 2026
Locality: Sar-e-Sang, Kuran wa Munjan District, Badakhshan, Afghanistan (See on Mindat)
Description:
Sodalite from Afghanistan is often very tenebrescent. It darkens to a deep bluish/purple relatively quickly but does not fade as rapidly as Greenland pieces when subjected to a bright UV-free light. These pieces are also often very phosphorescent (2nd picture below) and fluorescent orange under longwave. The tenebrescent variety of sodalite is often called hackmanite.
Originally posted by Mark Cole on Nature's Rainbows.
Summary of luminescence responses:
Sodalite (Mindat) (RRUFF)
- Fluorescence under Longwave (365nm LED) UV light: Yellow
- Fluorescence under Shortwave (254nm Lamp/Mercury) UV light: Pink
- Afterglow after exposure to Shortwave (254nm Lamp/Mercury) UV light: White
- Tenebrescence after exposure to Shortwave (254nm Lamp/Mercury) UV light: Purple
- Fluorescence under Shortwave (254nm Lamp/Mercury) UV light: Yellow
- Fluorescence under Shortwave (254nm Lamp/Mercury) UV light: Pink