Discovered in Shikaoi and Aibetsu towns in Hokkaido, "Hokkaidoite," with the scientific name "hokkaidoite," is an "organic mineral" composed of compounds made from elements found in living organisms, such as carbon and hydrogen. An unfamiliar mineral was first found within rocks in Aibetsu Town, and it was later confirmed to be present in opal, a type of gemstone, found in Shikaoi Town. It is notable for emitting a yellow to yellowish-green fluorescence when exposed to ultraviolet light.

紫外線を当てると鮮やかに光る新たな #鉱物
道内で発見され、国際機関に登録されました
その名も…
／#北海道石
＼
地層の中の生物の遺骸が
火山の地熱を受けてできたものと推定されますhttps://t.co/n9HelRp6lU#ほっかいどうせき #hokkaidoite pic.twitter.com/WD0f06mCFh

— NHK北海道 (@nhk_hokkaido) May 26, 2023

In January 2023, Hokkaidoite was approved and registered as a new mineral by the International Mineralogical Association. The announcement was made by a research team from the Sagami Central Chemical Research Institute, Tokai University, and Osaka University. On May 26, presentations titled "Hokkaidoite: A New Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbon Mineral and Its Formation Mechanism" and "Characterization and Diversity of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbon Minerals from Hokkaido" were given at the Japan Geoscience Union Meeting 2023.