Laurentthomasite (gem crystal)

Item Description

This is, for what it is, a killer crystal of an extremely rare and beautiful gem species - among the best of species for the size and shape. This is a type-locality specimen, and has provenance from the original owner who brought them out, and he considered this the single best thumbnail crystal for perfection, color, and shape overall. This rare gem species, new to science and to collectors, comes from essentially only 2 small finds here. The crystal is especially notable for its strong dichroism: A shocking and intense Paraiba-blue when viewed from the front and a deep yellow when seen from the side. The crystal is sharp - a shiny, hexagonal floater with very subtle surface features (polycrystalline growths), transparent, and with an intense deep blue color. You could actually cut a gemstone from this, although that would be a tragedy! Given its pleochroic property, this magnesium-potassium cyclosilicate, along with its hardness and transparency, it is truly a new gem species - there is just not enough of it in existence to publicize and make it more famous to the public. Chemically, this is a magnesium analogue of milarite, and analysis of the specimen determined that Scandium contributes to 3.8% of its composition. First discovered in 2018 and submitted for study at that time, this crystal is from the important second find of April 2019. Reference: Ferraris C, et al. Mineralogical Magazine, 2019, 83: 323–328. IMA approved in 2019. Exceptionally rare - this is a GEM crystal of a new gem species, and has incredible color as well. Illustrated (Mark Mauthner photos): The Mineralogical Record, 2020; 51(3): 501; and recently also published in Mineralogical Record, Refined Elegance: The Small Treasures of Mineralogy, November 2022. Valued $6500-9500.