Sodalite (Hauyne?), Phlogopite, Gonnardite, Unknowns - Afghanistan

Contributed by: Mark Cole
Date: Apr 9th, 2026
Locality: Sar-e-Sang, Kuran wa Munjan District, Badakhshan, Afghanistan (See on Mindat)
Size: 3 x 1 x 4 inches
Weight: 8.8 oz

Description:
When I first started bringing rocks back from Greenland we were mystified by our finds. Tugtupite and sodalite were obvious, but the many other fluorescent minerals had never been seen/documented and were completely unknown to us. Afghanistan is in that state now. Phlogopite, afghanite, usually marialite are obvious, but there are many minerals which will take time to identify - especially given the very limited access we have to the mining locales.

This piece was identified as green sodalite. I have my misgivings on that ID - I think it is hauyne and gonnardite. A fresh face reveals massive phlogopite (I think) along with brightly yellow fluorescing hauyne (or sodalite?). The really strange mineral to me is the bright orange. It does not have calcite cleavage, is really not very fluorescent under midwave, and has a very distinct color.

The first picture below is shown under fullwave - SW+MW+LW. This is really the best way to display these minerals from Afghanistan. There are pictures of each individual wavelength of the specimen.

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