Specimen #2509

Name: Vesuvianite (cat's eye terminations) with Clinochlore

Type: Mineral

Locality: Hachupa, Shigar Valley, Skardu District, Baltistan, Gilgit-Baltistan (Northern Areas), Pakistan

Favorite? N

Fluorescent? N

Size: 6.0 x 2.3 x 2.2 cm

Weight:

Acquired: 2013-07-11

Source: Arkenstone Auction

Label: N

Comment: This should really be a micro-mount specimen. I did not realize from the auction photos just how small the vesuvianite crystal was. These are some of the more attractive and unusual Vesuvianite crystals to come out of any "Alpine cleft" locality. This piece features a nice quality, sharp, lustrous, gemmy, "root beer" colored prism of Vesuvianite with a strange "straw"-colored "cat's eye" termination surrounded with bladed, green-grey color Clinochlore crystals. The Vesuvianite is reminiscent of Tourmaline crystals that I have seen from Brazil with the same "cat's eye" effect at the tips of the crystals. Certainly uncharacteristic for the species !

Minerals: Clinochlore ((Mg,Fe⁺⁺)₅Al(Si₃Al)O₁₀(OH)₈) Vesuvianite (Ca₁₀Mg₂Al₄(SiO₄)₅(Si₂O₇)₂(OH)₄)

There are 2 pictures on file

M02509-01.jpg:

Vesuvianite (cat's eye terminations) with Clinochlore,Hachupa, Shigar Valley, Skardu District, Baltistan, Gilgit-Baltistan (Northern Areas), Pakistan

M02509-02.jpg:

Vesuvianite (cat's eye terminations) with Clinochlore,Hachupa, Shigar Valley, Skardu District, Baltistan, Gilgit-Baltistan (Northern Areas), Pakistan - 6.0 x 2.3 x 2.2 cm