Table of Contents
- From the Editor – 'To a Mouse': Greenlandic Aphorisms by Howie Green 1–5
- Radiation Alteration of Sodalite from Sar-e-Sang, Badakhshan, Afghanistan by Michael Crawford 5–12
- Solarization and Cost Analysis of the Hoya Optics UL254L SW Filters vs. the U 325C Filters by Don Newsome 13–15
- The NERF Chapter Collaborates with the Liberty Science Center’s Fluorescent Mineral Display by Deepesh Dhingra 16–18
- Sustaining Member – Polman Minerals by George V. Polman 18
From the Editor – 'To a Mouse': Greenlandic Aphorisms
By Howie Green · pp. 1–5
Greenland collecting trips rarely follow the collector’s plans, as Howie Green’s stories from Ilímaussaq illustrate. The essay recounts searches for fluorescent specimens, including tugtupite and chkalovite at Taseq and a mistaken search for fluorite near the Kvanefjeld adit. It also follows the group’s frustrating hunt for a supposedly promising site and the eventual discovery of distinctive sodalite. Greenlandic and other aphorisms frame the account’s mishaps, persistence, and eventual successes.
Radiation Alteration of Sodalite from Sar-e-Sang, Badakhshan, Afghanistan
By Michael Crawford · pp. 5–12
Radiation from uraninite inclusions alters the optical behavior of sodalite specimens from Sar-e-Sang, Afghanistan. The study compares altered and unaltered areas using ultraviolet illumination, afterglow observations, radioactivity measurements, and fluorescent spectra. Alteration appears as spots or blotches and can shift emission peaks, change mid-wave and shortwave responses, suppress phosphorescence, and intensify purple tenebrescence. The observed effects vary among specimens, and the proposed role of radiation-induced structural and electronic changes remains incompletely understood.
Solarization and Cost Analysis of the Hoya Optics UL254L SW Filters vs. the U 325C Filters
By Don Newsome · pp. 13–15
A comparative test examines shortwave ultraviolet transmission and solarization in Hoya UL254S and U 325C filter glass. Using a low-pressure mercury lamp, a UV-C sensor, and a radiometer, the author measured transmission initially and after exposure periods of up to 314 hours. The UL254S sample began with higher 254 nm transmission and retained a greater proportion of its initial transmission than the tested U 325C filters. The article also considers the newer filter’s substantially higher cost and the trade-off between price and useful life.
The NERF Chapter Collaborates with the Liberty Science Center’s Fluorescent Mineral Display
By Deepesh Dhingra · pp. 16–18
A fluorescent-mineral display at the Liberty Science Center was developed with support from the Northeast Region Fluoresophiles chapter and the Franklin Mineral Museum. Installed in January 2021 alongside the center’s Shadow Wall, the exhibit uses naturally fluorescent rocks to help visitors distinguish fluorescence from reflected light and connect the phenomenon to science. The display is aimed particularly at children ages seven to ten, while offering concepts that can be explored at different academic levels. Visitor reactions are described as a way to spark curiosity about minerals and science.
Sustaining Member – Polman Minerals
By George V. Polman · p. 18
Polman Minerals outlines its fluorescent-mineral specimens, ultraviolet lamps, protective glasses, educational kits, books, and display cases for collectors. The Phoenix-based business reports specializing in material from Arizona, Franklin and Sterling Hill, and other worldwide localities. After a 13-year break from mineral shows, it planned to return to the Tucson Gem and Mineral Show in January and February 2022, whose theme was fluorescent minerals. The message invites collectors to visit the booth, join the email list, or seek advice about the hobby.