Specimen data for Nepheline

Tom Mortimer catalog number: 1498

Identification method: Species is reported from this locality. A 2013 Raman analysis on a sample of this specimen gave a good match for nepheline.
This specimen was collected from a surface outcrop and exhibits the weathering characteristic described in Fred Pough's Field Guide: "Old exposed surfaces in nepheline bearing rock always show pits where the nepheline has disolved out; feldspar veins through such outcrops stand out in relief." The display specimen nicely exhibits this characteristic.
Crushed grains from this specimen showed the test characteristic described by Fred Pough: "A powder is easily soluble in hydrochloric acid, evaporating to leave a silica gel."

Notes: On fresh broken surfaces of the Red Hill nepheline-syenite rock, the massive nepheline is difficult to distinguish from the intermixed gray feldspar and gray sodalite. The pitted weathered surfaces of ledge outcrops and float boulders are where to find this species. Lack of fluorescence also aids in distinguishing the Red Hill nepheline. The Red Hill sodalite is fluorescent orange in short wave UV and the feldspar is fluorescent a rose-red.