TUGTUPITE

    Class : Silicates
    Subclass : Tectosilicates
    Crystal system : Tetragonal
    Chemistry : Na4AlBeSi4O12Cl
    Rarity : Very rare


Tugtupite is a very rare beryllium silicate, most often a beautiful carmine pink color. Its name comes from its discovery locality : Tugtup in the Ilimaussaq alkaline complex (Greenland). Tugtupite crystals are extremely rare, always millimeter-sized, and tugtupite mainly consists of small masses or fine-grained aggregates. It is shaped into art objects and cabochons.

Main photo : Tugtupite from Kuannersuit Plateau, Greenland © Amy & Michael Biavati

Tugtupite in the World

The best deposit of tugtupite is the Ilimaussaq nepheline syenite complex, near Narssaq (Greenland), where it accompanies sodalite in several sites of this complex. It is also known from Mont St-Hilaire (Quebec, Canada) in aggregates and small crystals, and as a secondary mineral in pegmatites of the Lovozero alkaline massif (Kola, Russia).

Right photo : Tugtupite from Poudrette Quarry, Mont St-Hilaire, Quebec, Canada © László Horváth


Tugtupite in France

Tugtupite is not present in the French underground.

Twinning

Twinning is known on (101) resulting in pseudocubic triplets, and pseudotrigonal contact twins are reported with the composition planes (10-1 ) and (01-1).

Fakes and treatments

No fakes listed for this mineral species.



Hardness : 4
Density : 2.33
Fracture : Irregular
Streak : White


TP : Translucent
RI : 1.496 to 1.502
Birefringence : 0.006
Optical character : Uniaxial +
Pleochroism : Low
Fluorescence : Pink to red


Solubility : -

Magnetism : NoneRadioactivity : None