Staurolite with Almandine Garnet (excellent specimen)

Item Description

A truly impressive large cabinet display specimen of this classic material from the Kola Peninsula. The piece is filled with excellent, sharp, lustrous, prismatic crystals of rich brown Staurolite measuring up to 5.6 cm long, sitting on compressed silvery Muscovite matrix. Typically we only see specimens featuring Staurolite crystals from this area, but THIS piece has the distinction of featuring several crystals of Almandine Garnet which have a strong pinkish-purple hue, showing well-formed dodecahedral faces measuring up to 2.1 cm across. Another interesting and rare aspect of the piece is the fact that the Staurolite crystals are single UN-twinned prisms, and virtually every other piece I can remember seeing from this area featured twinned crystals of Staurolite. The size and quality of the piece combined with the rare Almandine association make it a highly desirable specimen, and certainly the best of this particular association that we've ever had to offer. The piece is pictured in Rocks & Minerals Vol. 93, #4, Page 347, and the winner of this auction will receive Bob's personal copy of that issue of the magazine. Valued $4,000-$5,000.
From the collection of longtime mineral collector Dr. Bob Lauf (Collection #4813), the author of the Mineral Collectors Guide books (Schiffer Publishing), widely seen at mineral shows and libraries. Robert Lauf grew up in Chicago and attended the University of Illinois, ultimately receiving a Ph.D. in Metallurgical Engineering. His scientific career included over twenty years at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, where he conducted research on topics ranging from nuclear fuel, coal by-products, materials synthesis, microwave processing, sensors, optical materials, and biomineralization. He has been granted over forty U.S. Patents for his inventions, many of which have become successful industrial products. He is now a Registered Patent Agent and technology consultant.