Tugtupite

specimen number:
2063554

location:
Kuannersuit Plateau, Ilimaussaq, Kujalleq, Greenland

description:
A cut thin slab through matrix, this rich throughout with attractive pinkish red masses of tugtupite. Brightly fluorescent. Polished on one side. The specimen comes with a label from the collection of Ray DeMark.

Situated in southern Greenland, the Kuannersuit Plateau forms part of the peralkaline Ilimaussaq intrusive complex, a geological formation renowned for its rich concentration of rare elements and unique alkaline rocks. Exploration of the plateau began primarily during the mid-twentieth century due to significant interest in its radioactive and rare earth potential, though active industrial mining has faced prolonged political and regulatory hurdles. Mineralogically, the site is world-famous for yielding exceptional specimens of tugtupite, a striking bright pink to red silicate mineral that forms within hydrothermal veins cutting through the complex. Collectors and researchers highly prize tugtupite from this locality not only for its vibrant coloration and strong fluorescence under ultraviolet light, but also for its fascinating crystal structure associated with the complex agpaitic environment.

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