Sodalite (var: Hackmanite) (tenebrescent) (ex David Burgess Collection)

Item Description

Hackmanite is the tenebrescent variety of Sodalite, which has famously over the last 20 years or so been coming out of the Koksha Valley, in Afghanistan. This small cabinet specimen features a good sized partial crystal of a attractive lilac / lavender Hackmanite free of matrix. The crystal shows a super orange fluorescence under LW UV light, along with a bright blue-white fluorescence under SW UV light. It's also wonderfully phosphorescent as well, holding the blue color as the UV light has been removed. After exposure to the UV light, the tenebrescence kicks in. This phenomenon actually allows the Hackmanite crystal to deepen in color temporarily, making it a stronger blue-purple hue. This change in color is completely safe and repeatable, so you can change a softer colored Hackmanite to a darker shade for a while and it will go back every time. As mentioned, this is only a partial crystal, as it is contacted on a few sides, but there are still some smooth crystal faces that can be seen on the top portion. From the worldwide collection of David Burgess (1951-2016). David was a prolific species collector from Newington, Connecticut, and the namesake for the extremely rare cobalt arsenate species Burgessite, which he discovered.