Titanite (''Faden''-esque group) with ''Byssolite'' (ex Rich Kosnar Collection)

Item Description

There are a few Alpine-type cleft localities in the Shigar Valley of Pakistan that produce specimens that in many ways resemble the classic pieces from the European Alps. Many years ago there was a discovery at Hashupa that produced some unique Titanite specimens, both in terms of crystal habit and the overall style of the crystal formation. This piece is a beautiful and unusual Titanite from a discovery in the late 1990s featuring a stacked group of notably compressed "discs" of beautiful lime green Titanite, with individual crystals measuring up to 8 mm across. The Titanites have formed in what looks like a "Faden"-esque growth, and there almost seems to be a "thread" that runs through the crystals from one end to the other. Additionally, there are some small fibrous crystals of "Byssolite" (some species of Amphibole) on the piece, reinforcing the idea that the Titanite crystals could have grown around the needles to form the "Faden". Hashupa is the only locality in the world where I've seen Titanite crystals like this both in their morphology and the unusual stacked formation. Keep in mind that flattened Titanite crystals are also rare in nature, as the species typically is found in "wedge"-shaped crystals. A really interesting and out-of-the-box style Titanite for any fan of "Alpine-type" species, thumbnails or minerals of Pakistan. From the collection of Richard ("Rich") Kosnar (1946-2007), the well-known mineral dealer and collector from Colorado. He was the namesake for the rare zirconium phosphate mineral, Kosnarite.