10 FACTS ABOUT NUUMITE
March 21 2023 by Elena Petrova
- 1 Nuummite is an iridescent orthoamphibole rock that combines two amphiboles - Anthophyllite and Gedrite with lesser amounts of pyrite, pyrrhotine and chalcopyrite.
It is a metamorphic rock, which means that it is formed as a result of the transformation of existing rock.
- 2 Original Nuummite comes from only one place and that is Nuuk (Godthåb), Kitaa (West Greenland) Province, Greenland and was found by the geologist Peter W. Uitterdijk Appel in 1982.
- 3 Nuummite is the trade name and means “derived from Nuuk” in Greenlandic.
- 4 Nuumite is known as the oldest rock on earth and believed to have been formed in the Late Archean period more than three billion years ago.
- 5 Nuummite is light -grey to almost black with flecks of iridescent color ranging from yellow to golden, green to metallic blue, and reddish to violet. The flecks can range in size from a few millimetres long to several centimetres long. It is rare for one gemstone to exhibit the full range of colors. Most gemstones display one or two similar iridescent colors.
- 6 Nuummite's iridescent play of color is due to its lamellar, fibrous structure (alternating fibrous layers).
- 7 Darkly colored gemstones that contain flecks of pyriteor mica can appear similar to Nuummite. Dark larvikite has a similar appearance to Nuummite.
- 8 Nuummite is not known to be treated or enhanced in any way.
- 9 Nuummite gemstones are quite tough and durable. To clean your Nuummite, simply use warm soapy water and a soft cloth. Be sure to rinse well to remove soapy residue. As with most gemstones, ultrasonic cleaners and steamers are not recommended.
- 10 Nuummite is the only gemstone ever found in Nuuk, Greenland. The government granted the company Nuummite Nuuk A/S, wholly owned by Nuuk commune an exploration concession for Nuummite in the Nuuk area, as well as permission to manufacture and sell Nuummite jewelry. The company is based in Nuuk.
Here is a link to our Nuumite selection:
https://theglobalstone.com/search?type=product&q=nuumite
Reference List:
https://www.gemselect.com
https://www.gemdat.org/gem
https://geology.com/minerals
https:www.minerals.net
