Kyanite (rare locality specimen) (ex David Burgess Collection)

Item Description

The Khit Island locality in far northwestern Russia (near the border with Finland) produces some attractive pegmatite minerals, including reportedly Uraninite crystals up to 5 cm (!). The Kyanite specimens from this locality are very hard to find on the market these days, but they are very attractive for the simple reason of their associations. This small cabinet specimen hosts a handful of prismatic, beautiful blue color, slightly translucent Kyanite prisms measuring up to 5.1 cm long which are associated with purplish-red colored partial crystals of Garnet (likely either Almandine or Pyrope), along with nearly black, shimmering blades of Biotite Mica and sitting on stark white Albite matrix. A great piece for any fan of Kyanite or Russian minerals. From the worldwide collection of David Burgess (1951-2016). David was a prolific species collector from Newington, Connecticut, and the namesake for the extremely rare cobalt arsenate species Burgessite, which he discovered.