Chondrodite in Marble

Item Description

A lustrous and gemmy 1.1 cm yellow-orange chondrodite crystal set in lustrous white marble is the focal point of this showy specimen from Mogok, Burma. These have been trickling out of Burma over the past few years. Some unknowledgeable web dealers have called this mineral norbergite, perhaps in order to command higher prices, but repeated analyses indicate it really is chondrodite (still pretty darned good!). Chondrodite is an uncommon magnesium iron silicate found in contact metamorphic rocks and carbonatites. Not too many localities produce gemmy crystals, but Mogok produces some really good ones and this is a fine example. Crystals of this quality and specimens, in general, are very uncommon from Mogok, especially with the on-going trade embargo.