Augite var. Fassaite (old!) ex Paterson Museum Coll.

Item Description

Fassaite is a variety of Augite with low iron content and is is member of the Pyroxene Group. It was originally named a species after the Type Locality and is now discredited. Lustrous, translucent, olive-green crystals, to 7 mm, fill two sculptural well-placed vugs, to 4.5 cm, as well as several other vugs in the essentially solid augite/fassaite matrix. This fine rich old-timer from the Paterson Museum Collection dates prior to World War I! The accompanying museum display label says Austria. Trento Province was annexed by Italy from the old Austro-Hungarian Empire in 1919. Heavy fighting took place here during World War I, so the piece certainly dates to around 1900 or earlier. Classic OLD material.