Kurnakovite (fine crystals) (ex Gerry Morvell Collections)

Item Description

Here we have a fine quality, showy and eye-catching display specimen of the seldom seen Kurnakovites from Boron, California. There is a listing on mindat.org for a specimen from the Rock Currier collection that states, "Kurnakovite crystals were only found during the very early days of open pit mining at Boron. Several hundred specimens were collected at various times but you don't often see one for sale". This piece features sharp, well-formed, pseudo-rhombic (triclinic), gemmy, colorless crystals measuring up to 2.6 cm on edge sitting on matrix. The tan color is due to inclusions of an unknown mineral, but it creates a lovely two-tone effect. No major damage, and look at how aesthetically this piece is. Kurnakovite is a relatively rare hydrated magnesium borate mineral, and while the type locality for the species is in Kazakhstan, the finest crystals are those from the Boron area in California. Priced at $1,250 in the inventory. From the collection of Gerry Morvell.