Lazulite with Fluorapatite on Quartz

Item Description

Lazulite is a fairly well-known phosphate, but fine display quality crystallized specimens of are not terribly common in nature. The treacherous area of Rapid Creek in the Yukon of Canada has produced some of the finest Lazulite crystals the world in terms of color and quality. Lazulite is a magnesium aluminum phosphate, and crystals can range in color from a seafoam-green, to a sky blue to an intense midnight blue shade. The dark blue crystals are synonymous with Rapid Creek. This area is only accessible for a few months in the summer for collecting (it's under snow and ice the rest of the year), and is some of the most treacherous terrain in the world for collecting specimens with steep talus slopes and unstable ground. Here we have a lovely display piece featuring excellent quality, sharp, lustrous, very well formed, monoclinic, deep inky blue color crystals of Lazulite measuring up to 8 mm associated with minor but rarely seen pale pinkish Fluorapatite crystals measuring up to 5 mm, sitting among well-formed Quartz crystals (the largest of which has a wonderful "turret"-shaped formation). No major damage I can see, and a choice example of this world-class material.
From the collection of John Dagenais.