Monazite -important large crystal (Jago & Segeler Coll.)

Item Description

Monazite is a REE phosphate found in phosphate-rich pegmatites. This is a very sharp and hefty euhedral floater crystal. Some faces of the variably brown crystal are very sharp, highly lustrous and partially translucent (darker brown faces), while others have a matte finish from contacting, but have no damage, per se. This is an uncommon, complete all-around and very fine crystal of the species and locale. Possibly from the Ambatofotsikely pegmatite. Hefty at 260 grams mass. Ex Curt Segeler Collection Collection, a sophisticated East Coast collector who died in 1989 and obtained in a trade from John Jago, a famous California collector who passed away in 2001. Jago donated his superb mineral collection to the Smithsonian Museum in 1965 and his gemstone collection to the Los Angeles County Musuem in 1988.