Sugilite (rare)

Item Description

This is a notably eye-catching and rather rich piece of the rare species Sugilite featuring glowing purple chatoyant crystals and crystalline areas on all sides of the underlying matrix. The distinctive and alluring color of this species is what really draws one's attention, and considering the fact that this is not a common species, it's a great combination of rarity and beauty in the mineral world. Many people think that Sugilite gets is color from manganese, but it's actually completely devoid of it, as it is a potassium sodium iron lithium silicate. For reference, this species was named after Ken-ichi Sugi, and is almost always mispronounced as "Soo-jill-ite", but should properly be pronounced with a hard "g" as in "golf" (Soo-Ghee-Lite). The N'Chwaning Mines have some of the best examples of the species ever found, and are highly prized by collectors.