Afghanistan Mix - Afghanite, Phlogopite, Calcite, Scapolite, Diopside - Amazing Color

Contributed by: Mark Cole
Date: Apr 9th, 2026
Locality: Sar-e-Sang, Kuran wa Munjan District, Badakhshan, Afghanistan (See on Mindat)
Size: 2 x 1.5 x 2.5 inches
Weight: 6.5 oz

Description:
And the Afghanistan rocks just keep coming! This area will be a prolific source of fluorescent minerals if we can ever get someone with a real UV light exploring the mines.

This piece has afghanite, fluorescent dull orange under LW UV; it seems to have a deep, dark, but saturated blue fluorescence under MW. The matrix is calcite fluorescing orange under MW and SW. A secondary matrix appears to be diopside fluorescing a bright blue/white under SW only. Crystals of bright yellow fluorescing phlogopite dot the diopside matrix while a bright yellow fluorescing scapolite appears at the contact points between the calcite and the diopside.

As in all Afghani pieces, this piece has minerals which each glow best under a different wavelength. Putting them under all three (fullwave) results in the best display (IMHO).

Originally posted by Mark Cole on Nature's Rainbows in 2017.