Epidote/Clinozoisite (new find)

Item Description

Recently a friend in Pakistan sent along a parcel from I'm told is a new discovery in the Balochistan Province of Pakistan This is a really interesting and attractive specimen simultaneously representing two members of the Epidote group. Epidote forms and isomorphic series with Clinozoisite where Epidote is the iron-rich end member and Clinozoisite is the iron-deficient end member. This specimen was analyzed through XRD, and both species are present. This specimen features many sharp, lustrous, prismatic, translucent, deep golden green crystals of Epidote that grade into straw colored Clinozoisite at the base / center of the crystals. The largest crystal measures 2.6 cm long. This is a great example of how two individual mineral species can sometimes occur in the same crystal as is often the case in many Tourmaline species. Associated Pericline Feldspar makes for a nice touch, though the best crytals are on the back. The piece is not without damage, as several crystals are contacted, but the piece displays beautifully, and it honestly doesn't look like anything we've seen from Pakistan before.