Mica / Sericite pseudomorph after Cordierite-Indialite (Cherry Blossom stone)

Item Description

I love these little beauties. These pseudomorphs from Kameoka City are Japanese classics, and unique in the world for what they are. They have been given the nickname "cherry blossom stones" by Japanese collectors ("sakura ishi" in Japanese) because they resemble the famous Japanese cherry blossoms. To the best of my knowledge, these specimens are unique in the fact that they are replacements of silvery-golden Muscovite Mica (variety "Sericite") after trapiche habit Cordierite-Indialite. This locality is the only place in the world where this specific pseudomorph is found. Cordierite and Indialite are dimorphous species, and Indialite forms at higher temperatures, which is seen in the form of the thin dark hexagonal lines forming the "spokes" of the pseudomorphs, and they eventually cooled down to a lower temperature and became the lighter colored Cordierite throughout. This replacement creates a very beautiful pattern, which is rather similar to the famous "Trapiche" Habit seen in minerals like Corundum, Beryl and Tourmaline. Now the name of this material has a bit of a confusing history, because it was originally described by Kikuchi as "Cerasite" which was the name for the trapiche habit of Cordierite, which possibly coincidentally lead to confusion about the origin of the name Sericite. These pieces are well-known from Japan, but rarely seen on the market, and collecting has been forbidden in the area according to a friend. The majority of these specimens measure about 5 - 6 mm in diameter, and are almost found as singles which weather out of hornfels. This specimen is a wonderful classic example of this beloved material. If you collect Japanese minerals or rare pseudomorphs, or just odd niche specimens, be sure to pick this one up.