Specimen #1040

Name: Charoite

Type: Mineral

Locality: Murunskyi Massif, Chara River (Charo River), Davan, Torgo River Basin, Aldan Shield, Saha Republic (Sakha Republic; Yakutia), Eastern-Siberian Region, Russia

Favorite? N

Fluorescent? N

Size: 18.9 x 8.7 x 3.0 cm

Weight: 432

Acquired: 2008-11-30

Source: Andrei Rykoff, Andrei's Rock Shop

Label: Y

Comment: Charoite gets its name from the river Chara, in Siberia. Charoite is an unusual mineral of rare occurrence and is found to date in only this one location. It formed from alteration of limestone by the close presence of an alkali-rich nephline syenite intrusion. The heat, pressure and more importantly, the infusion of unique chemicals into the rock are responsible for the transformations into new minerals such as charoite. Why charoite has not been found in other locations is not fully understood. But it is probably due to a combination of a chemically unique limestone reacting with a chemically unique intrusion and subjected to unique physical conditions.

This is a sawn and polished (one side) piece of charoite that I picked up from Russian dealer Gennady Skublov in Denver. Besides charoite, it contains steacyite, tinaksite and titanite. It is mildly fluorescent under SW UV light. No damage.

Please note: This specimen represents the largest single slab of Charoite that I have ever been able to purchase.

Minerals: Charoite (K5Ca8(Si6O15)2(Si2O7)Si4O9(OH) 3(H2O))

There are 2 pictures on file

M01040-01.jpg:

Charoite, Murunskyi Massif, Chara River (Charo River), Davan, Torgo River Basin, Aldan Shield, Saha Republic (Sakha Republic; Yakutia), Eastern-Siberian Region, Russia - 18.9 x 8.7 x 3.0 cm

M01040-02.jpg:

Charoite, Murunskyi Massif, Chara River (Charo River), Davan, Torgo River Basin, Aldan Shield, Saha Republic (Sakha Republic; Yakutia), Eastern-Siberian Region, Russia