Yooperlite Skull Ref: 0391

Yooperlites are ordinary-looking gray rocks from Michigan's Upper Peninsula that glow a bright neon orange and yellow under ultraviolet (UV) light. Discovered in 2017 by rockhound Erik Rintamaki, they are scientifically classified as syenite clasts containing fluorescent sodalite.

What Are Yooperlites?

• Appearance: They look like boring gray pebbles in daylight, but explode with fiery embers under UV light.
• Origin: Glaciers carried these rocks south from Ontario, Canada, into Lake Superior during the Ice Age.
• Name: Named after "Yoopers," the residents of Michigan's Upper Peninsula.

How to Find Them

• Time: Search at night or during total darkness.
• Gear: Use a filtered 365nm UV/blacklight flashlight, a regular headlamp for safety, and a mesh bag.
• Location: Look along the rocky beaches of Lake Superior, especially in Michigan's Upper Peninsula.

Ref: 0391 (For my use only)