Vivianite (ex Rolando Gioia Collection)

Item Description

Vivianite is a rare species from Brazil, and matrix Vivianite crystals like this are even rare. This is a wonderful miniature featuring a 2.7 cm, doubly-terminated, very lustrous, sharp, translucent crystal group sitting on oxidized matrix. The color is dark bluish-green when backlit, but nearly black in reflected light. This is a rare pegmatitic Vivianite, and a great display specimen. Normally this species forms in phosphate pods, or in phosphate quarries often related to fossilized material there, but seldom in gem pegmatite environments. From the collection of Rolando Gioia (a contributor to new definitive book on Brazilian minerals: "Minerais e Pedras Preciosas do Brasil").