Albite with Schorl and Fluorapatite

Item Description

A great pegmatite combination specimen dominated by relatively large Albite crystals with a moderate amount of Schorl Tourmaline and green Fluorapatite in association. The Albite crystals on this piece are exceptionally well-formed, lustrous, bright white, translucent and roughly diamond-shaped. Most Albite in pegmatite pockets is the Cleavelandite variety composed of rosettes of tightly grouped, bladed Albite crystals, this piece, on the other hand, has essentially textbook Albite crystals from 1 to 3.6 cm in largest dimension. They are in a nice cluster that dominates the piece and sets off the Schorl and Fluorapatite well! Several, lustrous, jet-black Schorl crystals from less than 1 to 1.5 cm are intergrown with the Albite on one side of the piece and provide great variety and contrast. A single, medium green, translucent Fluorapatite sits off to one side slightly intergrown with the Albite. It is moderately well-formed displaying a hexagonal outline with part of its growth limited by the Albite with which it grew contemporaneously (the outside point is a contact - irregular, but entirely natural faces). This is a great Brazilian pegmatite combo piece and rarely do you see them with well formed, isolated Albite crystals like this!