Fibrous Sugilite (fine color and quality)

Item Description

Captivating electric purple color, shimmering, chatoyant Sugilite displaying a rare fibrous style, are coating virtually all sides of the underlying matrix on this large miniature / small cabinet display specimen. Sugilite is a rare complex K-Na-Fe-Li silicate mineral, and the most colorful and celebrated examples are those from South Africa. Fibrous Sugilite is rare, as most specimens are massive, which makes fine lapidary material, but this is a collector quality specimen. The color immediately will grab your attention, and considering the fact that this is not a common species, it's a great combination of rarity and beauty in the mineral world. Choice and most colorful material from 2016-17 finds at the N'Chwaning III Mine. It should be noted that the mineral was named after Ken-ichi Sugi, but you'll find that it is almost always mispronounced as "soo-jill-ite". The proper pronunciation should be with a hard "g" as in "gold" (SOO-GHEE-LITE). The N'Chwaning Mines have some of the best examples of the species ever found, and are highly prized by collectors.