Villiaumite (rare halide)

Item Description

Villiaumite is a rare sodium halide found in small miarolytic cavities in nepheline syenite. Gemmy, rich rose-red crystals and cleavages glow on the syenite matrix (a well-crystallized crystal is tucked in the small vug). Rich, colorful and rare materal. This comes from an incredible, I would even say unprecedented, find for the species featuring incredible color and gemminess combined with complex crystal structure that taken together makes these crystals superficially resemble a spessartine garnet. This was one of the few decent matrix specimens from the find, as was reported from Munich in the Mineralogical Record (where one specimen I had previously is illustrated). Valued at $475.