Andalusite

Item Description

This significant crystal cluster of Andalusite has great composition and the crystals are all translucent to slightly gemmy in places! There are at least seven distinct crystals that make up this divergent group with the largest measuring 6 cm long and 2.1 cm across the top. The larger ones look like carved parallelogram columns. They all display a pleasing pinkish brown to brown-pink color with significant translucence and some transparency at or near the terminations and edges. They look great when backlit. As a metamorphic mineral with crystals usually frozen in the host rock, this piece is extremely unusual and good in its robust form and completeness! A very large crystal for the species, to have such sharp form. It looks like a carved column. The area around Itinga has produced some well-crystallized Andalusite occasionally for the last 20 years or so. Andalusite is somewhat pleochroic, so when the crystals are rotated in a backlit situation, like a laptop screen, the slight color change is evident. A major example in large size, for this normally ugly rock forming species.