Microlite Group with RARE acicular Zircon ''sprays''

Item Description

A cool association specimen from the Ipê Mine in Brazil featuring hundreds of small, sharp, lustrous, translucent, golden-orange crystals of what was originally called "Microlite" sitting on a somewhat brecciated matrix. If you look at the piece under magnification, you'll see some tiny white acicular "sprays" that are apparently ZIRCON(!). It's rare to find such thin narrow prismatic crystals of Zircon like this, but even rarer to find them in little "sprays". See the photo at https://www.mindat.org/photo-509375.html for reference. It's important to note that Microlite is no longer a valid species but rather a group name for various species. This piece could be Fluorcalciomicrolite, but it hasn't been analyzed to be certain. A really cool association piece that would make a great addition to any pegmatite mineral collection.