Axinite-(Fe)

Item Description

Here we have a gorgeous toenail sized specimen of Axinite-(Fe) from this "Alpine-type" deposit in the Pakistani high mountains. The crystals are VERY gemmy with sharp faces, high luster and that classic "wedge"-shaped habit. The color is mostly a reddish-brown hue, but you can see slight lilac-clove colored highlights. The largest crystal measures 2.1 cm, and when it's backlit, you can really see the gemminess come through. I don't see any major damage, but there are a few small areas of incomplete growth and tiny "Wilbers" here and there. If you collect "Alpine-type" minerals, this is something that you rarely see on the market. These crystals compare quite favorably to the famous metamorphic Axinites that came out of Russia in the 1990s or true Alpine Axinites from France that were the standard for Axinite-(Fe) for a long time. It's not easy to find a multi-terminated crystal group of Axinite this size from any locality, so don't miss out on this one as very few were found at Khapalu, and this is an older specimen going back to the mid 2000s.