Triphylite (rare old classic material) (1949)

Item Description

A rarely seen specimen from this historic pegmatite locality. Triphylite is a well-known phosphate mineral, but not often found in well-crystallized specimens. It's the name sake of the Triphylite Group and is part of the Triphylite-Lithiophilite Series. It actually alters to Heterosite, so virtually all specimens of Heterosite start out as Triphylite. This piece is a wonderful old-time specimen from the famed Chandlers Mill Quarry in Newport, New Hampshire and feature dark bluish-black Triphylite mixed among massive Quartz. While most of the Triphylites are contact/uncrystallized, there are few DISTINCT, well-formed faces that can be seen, which is not common for the species, but has been observed from Chandlers Mill. The best aspect of this piece is its pedigree, as it originally came from the collection of Gunnar Bjareby of Boston, MA, and his label states the piece was collected in 1949. From the worldwide mineral collection of Albert Lewis Kidwell (January 1, 1919 - August 16, 2008). Al was a well-known mineral collector and research geologist with Carter Oil Company and later Exxon Oil Company in Houston, Texas. The phosphate species Kidwellite was named in his honor in 1974 ( https://www.mindat.org/photo-326405.html ).