Table of Contents

• From the Editor—A Study in Pink by Howie Green 1–3
• Leucophanite from the Langesundsfjord District, Norway by Howie Green and Martijn Hendrikx 4–13
• Meliphanite by Howie Green 14–20
• Leucophanite from Mont Saint-Hilaire, Quebec, Canada by Howie Green 21–27
• From Russia with Love: The Kola Peninsula by Howie Green 28–30
• Darai-Pioz by Howie Green and Mike Crawford 31–33
• Leucophanite from the Ilímaussaq Alkaline Complex in South Greenland by Tom Weidner and Howie Green 34–41
• Agrellite: The (Other) Pink Fluorescent Mineral by Simone Conti 42–52
• Limerick Contest Winner by — 13
• Upcoming Historic Mineral Collection Auctions by — 53

From the Editor—A Study in Pink

By Howie Green · pp. 1–3

Howie Green introduces an issue devoted to leucophanite and its worldwide occurrences, geology, mineralogy, and luminescent behavior. He recalls a 2007 collecting trip to the Langesundsfjord district, including encounters with Norwegian mineralogist Alf Olav Larsen, and adds a humorous account of an Icelandair flight involving Icelandic food, fermented shark, and Brennivín. The introduction also previews related discussions of meliphanite, agrellite, and specimen galleries.

Leucophanite from the Langesundsfjord District, Norway

By Howie Green and Martijn Hendrikx · pp. 4–13

This account examines leucophanite from the Langesundsfjord pegmatite district in southern Norway, including its discovery, name, crystal chemistry, orthorhombic structure, and occurrence in nepheline syenite pegmatites. It describes magmatic and hydrothermal generations, the district’s quarries and mineral diversity, and the roles of rare-earth elements, cerium, and manganese in the mineral’s complex emissions and orange afterglow. A substantial gallery documents specimens from Norwegian quarries under several illumination wavelengths.

Meliphanite

By Howie Green · pp. 14–20

The article presents meliphanite, a honey-colored beryllium mineral related to leucophanite and originally described from the Langesundsfjord area. It reviews the mineral’s composition, crystal structure, late magmatic formation, occurrences in Norwegian and Russian localities, and research on photo-, cathodo-, radio-, and ionoluminescence. Spectral behavior is discussed in relation to structural defects, cerium, manganese, and other rare-earth elements. Specimen photographs demonstrate its changing responses under shortwave, midwave, longwave, and LED illumination.

Leucophanite from Mont Saint-Hilaire, Quebec, Canada

By Howie Green · pp. 21–27

This feature surveys leucophanite at the Poudrette quarry in Mont Saint-Hilaire, placing the mineral within the locality’s alkaline geology, pegmatites, nepheline syenite, marble, breccia, and sodalite-rich xenoliths. It recounts the quarry’s mineralogical importance and leucophanite discoveries, then discusses associations with polylithionite, albite, sodalite, calcite, aegirine, schizolite, and rhodochrosite. The accompanying gallery compares their visible colors, ultraviolet responses, tenebrescence, and orange afterglow in collected specimens.

From Russia with Love: The Kola Peninsula

By Howie Green · pp. 28–30

The Kola Peninsula feature introduces the region’s Arctic geography, history, alkaline massifs, and mineral resources, with particular attention to the Khibiny and Lovozero complexes. It profiles mineralogist Alexander Fersman and explains Russia’s rare-earth-element challenges, including extraction, processing, dependence on imported material, and the role of loparite. Leucophanite specimens from the Rasvumchorr mine are presented alongside notes on arctite, lorenzenite, sodalite, feldspar, climate, mining history, and industrial development.

Darai-Pioz

By Howie Green and Mike Crawford · pp. 31–33

This feature describes the remote Darai-Pioz alkaline massif in Tajikistan, including its mountainous setting, history, geology, agpaitic granites, quartz syenites, pegmatites, and exceptional mineral diversity. Mike Crawford reports spectral measurements from a leucophanite specimen containing albite, microcline, uranyl-activated chalcedony, zektzerite, and polylithionite. The article compares emissions under shortwave, midwave, longwave, 365-nanometer LED, and 405-nanometer laser excitation, including rare-earth-element peaks and feldspar zoning.

Leucophanite from the Ilímaussaq Alkaline Complex in South Greenland

By Tom Weidner and Howie Green · pp. 34–41

The authors explain the formation of the Ilímaussaq alkaline complex during Mesoproterozoic rifting and describe its agpaitic nepheline syenites, rare mineral assemblages, and major collecting localities. They review leucophanite’s hydrothermal formation from volatile- and element-rich residual fluids, its occurrence with feldspar, sodalite, natrolite, and beryllium minerals, and its pink-violet to purple emission. Galleries from Kangerluarsuk, Tunulliarfik, and Kvanefjeld also distinguish confirmed from putative leucophanite identifications.

Agrellite: The (Other) Pink Fluorescent Mineral

By Simone Conti · pp. 42–52

Simone Conti examines agrellite, a rare sodium-calcium silicate first described from the Kipawa alkaline complex in Quebec. The article covers its fibrous or massive habit, geological associations, history in FMS publications, and emission behavior under shortwave, midwave, longwave, and laser excitation. It discusses cerium, manganese, and rare-earth activators, spectral peaks, afterglow, and occurrences in Tajikistan, Russia, China, and Wisconsin. Galleries feature multicolor associations with eudialyte, vlasovite, gittinsite, albite, microcline, and uranyl minerals.

Limerick Contest Winner

p. 13

A short winning entry from the issue’s limerick contest uses a Norwegian character, a wife playing a flute, and a collector’s rejection of the subject mineral as its comic framework. The poem is presented as an amended version, explicitly noting that it was revised in deference to polite company. Its wordplay connects Norwegian identity, music, collecting habits, and the issue’s recurring mineral subject.

Upcoming Historic Mineral Collection Auctions

p. 53

A promotional page announces upcoming selections from the historic collections of Richard Bostwick, identified as a Franklin expert, and Al and Sue Liebetrau, described as lifelong fluorescent-mineral collectors. The advertisement states that the organization specializes in large mineral collections and conducts quarterly auctions. It invites readers to scan a code to begin exploring the offerings and emphasizes the historical breadth of the collections.