Fluorapatite with Tourmaline on Albite

Item Description

Fluorapatite is a well-known phosphate species, found in a wide range of colors from many different environments around the world. I think most people would agree that purple is rarest and most desirable hue for Apatite, regardless of the locality. There are truly only a handful of places in the world that produce truly excellent purple Apatites, and some of the specimens from Afghanistan would certainly rank in that category. This miniature sized piece is a lovely display specimen hosting a predominant, well-formed, tabular, vivid purple colored hexagonal crystal measuring 2.1 cm across, with several smaller Apatites sitting on Albite matrix. A 1.0 cm gemmy green Tourmaline can be seen on the underside of the piece. The main Apatite crystal is in excellent condition, with only a little roughness on one edge where it was separated from the pocket wall. A showy and eye-catching example of this soon-to-be-classic material from Afghanistan.