Danburite (rare blue color)

Alto Chapare, Chapare Province, Cochabamba Department, Bolivia
Toenail, 3.3 x 2.4 x 2.1 cm
Start Time: 09/02/2010 6:45:00 pm (CDT)
End Time: 09/09/2010 6:45:00 pm (CDT)
Auction Closed

Item Description

This specimen was collected in 2005. While these specimens are not a new find per se, they are fairly new specimens from a well known locality. These are the only BLUE Danburite crystals that I have ever seen from any locality. Truly the crystals themselves are colorless, but are included by a rare Amphibole called Magnesioriebeckite, for which this is the type locality. This specimen is a very good quality display piece. It features a rather large (for this locality) sharp, highly lustrous, well formed, prismatic, gray-blue color crystal of Danburite measuring 1.6 cm sitting atop white talc matrix. An interesting historical note about this locality: Supposedly the mineral was first discovered in the tomb of a "cacique" (a native Indian chief) where they had been placed jewels to signify that he was rich. The find of these crystals was made near there.

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