Photochromic Sodalite aka Hackmanite Specimen, Fluorescent and Tenebrescent, Color Changes to Deep Purple!

This is Hackmanite specimen with marble and richterite, from the Kokcha Valley, Kuran Wa Munjan, Badakshan Afghanistan. The hackmanite is gemmy and shows partial terminations in certain areas. Quality hackmanites from Afghanistan are getting difficult to find.

It is fluorescent (glows bright orange under longwave UV light), photochromic / tenebrescent (changes to a deeper shade when exposed to sunlight or certain other light sources). You can see the tenebrescence (lighter and darker shades of purple) in the photos. When left in darkness, the stone will lighten to the original lavender shade.

A 365 nm AloneFire long wave flashlight was used in the fluorescent photos. We sell the AloneFire for $24.99.

Location: Badakhshan, Afghanistan

Size: 70 x 65 x 35 mm. 160 grams.

Tenebrescence is the ability of some materials to change their color when exposed to sunlight. This phenomenon is also known as reversible photochromism, because the color change can be reversed by removing the light source. Tenebrescence is not intrinsic to the material but is induced by irradiation with X-rays or other forms of energy. Some minerals, such as hackmanite, exhibit tenebrescence and can change from colorless to pink, purple, or blue when exposed to sunlight.