HACKMANITE / SODALITE

Origin: Badakshan, Afghanistan.

Type: Transparent Hackmanite [A super rare material that is a member of the Sodalite group] (Tested and verified Refractive index and under short wave UV Light)

Color: Violet Bluish Violet and fades to almost colorless in light via the Phenomena of tenebrescence, where light causes a fading of color to nearly colorless and in the absence of light the stones color becomes darker in absolute dark. Under Short Wave UV Light only the stone floresces to light Orangish Pink

Hardenss 5 to 6

Hackmanite is an important variety of sodalite exhibiting tenebrescence. Conversely, hackmanite from Afghanistan and the Myanmar Republic (Burma) starts off creamy white but develops a violet to pink-red colour in sunlight. If left in a dark environment for some time, the violet will fade again. Tenebrescence is accelerated by the use of longwave or, particularly, shortwave ultraviolet light. Much sodalite will also fluoresce a patchy orange under UV light. (See also photochromism).