Potassic-chloro-hastingsite (''Dashkesanite'') (incredibly rare) with Andradite

Item Description

Potassic-chloro-hastingsite is an incredibly rare member of the Amphibole Group. Mindat.org only reports it being found in a dozen localities, including a meteorite found on Antarctica and in Northwest Africa 5790 meteorite. The species has been known since the 1930s, and was originally named Dashkesanite after the type locality, but was subsequently discredited in 1978, only to be reevaluated in 2005, where it was approved as a valid species, now called Potassic-chloro-hastingsite. This is the only specimen of the material that we've ever had to offer. It features matte gray colored "fan"-like groups of crystals measuring to about 3-4 mm, which are sitting on a layer of rather lustrous, brown Andradite Garnet crystals measuring up to 6 mm across, showing dodecahedral and trapezohedral faces, on matrix. The piece is in superb condition, with no major damage that I can find with the naked eye. If you collect rare species, or minerals from the type locality this is - as far as I can say - a superb example of this highly elusive material.
From the collection of Kurt Hefendehl (#550 Ru), a well-known German collector all over Europe with worldwide contacts to dealers and collectors. He started collecting seriously at the age of 14 and his great and varied worldwide collection reached over 6000 pieces. He was very active mineralogically until shortly before his passing in 2020 at the age of 82. Considering his collection had a large number of pieces, it still had an unusually high standard of quality from most worldwide localities. He particularly specialized in all classics as well as minerals of the Black Forest, where he spent much time collecting. His Black Forest and German subcollections went to his good friend Wolfgang Wendel. We at The Arkenstone have the privilege of offering the remainder of this great worldwide collection over the next two to three years through our various platforms.