Hydroxylherderite (twin) (classic material)

Item Description

A fantastic miniature sized specimen from one of the most well-known non-Tourmaline localities in Brazil. The historic Xanda Mine is best-known for producing some of the finest natural blue Topaz crystals in the world, but it is also the source of the greatest purple Herderites (more properly Hydroxylherderite) have also been found at this mine. I think most people would agree that the most desirable color for Herderite is purple, and when you eliminate minerals like Fluorite and Amethyst, there aren't too many purple minerals out there. This piece is a wonderful, good sized, sharp, lustrous, translucent, well-formed, euhedral twinned crystal of soft purple Hydroxylherderite free of matrix. The piece is in good shape, though there are some separation marks where it was probably intergrown with additional Herderites, and later came apart in the pocket. A very good gem crystal specimen of a species that is not often found in well-formed examples with a rare color like this. The piece dates back to 1973 and comes from the collection of famous mineral dealer and collector Richard ("Rich") A. Kosnar (1946-2007), who was the namesake for the phosphate Kosnarite. Rich had a strong presence in Brazil in the 1970s and imported many gem crystals during that period. Valued at $4500.