Tugtupite is a sodium aluminum beryllium silicate first discovered in 1962 in Greenland, where it is still carved for jewelry. The name tugtupite is derived from Tugtup, the location in Greenland where it was first discovered.
Tugtupite occurs in various colors, from white to blue, green, pink, orange, and red, sometimes a beautiful, strong, dark red. The stone can also sometimes be slightly yellow and speckled. Tugtupite rates a 4 on the Moh's hardness scale and has a vitreous luster. It is a transparent to translucent stone and may look mottled. When tugtupite is placed in the dark, the paler parts of the rock fade to white, but exposure to light once again restores the color.
Tugtupite crystals are found as opaque masses in high alkali igneous rocks. The stone has a very similar crystal structure to that of sodalite, and the two stones are often found together. Tugtupite can be found in various locations in Greenland, at Mt. Saint-Hilaire in Quebec, and in the Kola Peninsula in Russia.
Tugtupite is a cheerful stone. It has been said to bring the wearer the ability to get rid of strong, negative past emotions, and to view the present with a new and positive light. The stone also protects the wearer from self-pity based on a lack of understanding. It gives the wearer clarity and therefore confidence, as well as the gift of forgiveness.
