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Mineral Specimens with Afghanite
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page 1 / 2 - 16 specimens selected - next
5.0 x 4.3 x 2.9 cm. This specimen showcases a really nifty, DEEP BLUE, 2.5-cm tall afghanite crystal centered nicely on matrix. These new finds from Afghanistan of the past 5 years have really redefined expectations for the species, formerly almost unknown to collectors.
13.0 x 7.2 x 3.8 cm. A showy CABINET specimen of sharp, banded sodalite and afghanite crystals to 3.4 cm nicely embedded in quartz-rich matrix from the Type Locality of afghanite - Sar-e-Sang, Afghanistan. A highly representative combination piece for the locality and species.
3.6 x 2.4 x 1.4 cm. A VERY RARE, gemmy and lustrous, indigo-blue afghanite crystal beautifully set on calcite matrix from the Type Locality - Sar-e-Sang, Afghanistan. This 1.2 cm, sharp beauty is the first gemmy afghanite that I have seen.
8.0 x 6.5 x 6.5 cm. A MONSTROUS, 6.5 cm, translucent, blue afghanite crystal nicely placed on quartz matrix from the Type Locality - Sar-e-Sang, Afghanistan. One end is crudely terminated and has a lustrous, muscovite book. The other end is sawed, as are two other matrix faces, to enhance display. This is a huge and showy representation of this rare, namesake species.
5.6 x 4.5 x 4.2 cm. Two gemmy and lustrous, powder-blue afghanite crystals aesthetically attached to off-white marble from the Type Locality - Sar-e-Sang, Afghanistan. The large crystal is 2.4 cm and the color is very fine. Highly representative of the species and locality in form but with unusually nice pastel blue color instead of the darker lapis-like color many have.
3.8 x 2.8 x 1.9 cm. A lustrous, sharp, hexagonal, 2.3 cm, curved afghanite crystal perched atop marble matrix, which itself is on pyrite-speckled lazurite. The afghanite has classic azure-blue color. One end is nicely terminated, while the other is contacted. Sar-e-Sang is the Type Locality for both afghanite and lazurite. It is uncommon to see both species on the same specimen.
5.2 x 4.1 x 1.6 cm. Afghanite from this locality has set the mineral world abuzz with something new from Afghanistan, found only in a trickle this last decade, that hadn't been seen before. This is a superb, doubly-terminated, 5-cm-long crystal that has a vivid blue color, super translucency, and sharp termination. This is very rare. Ed David, who specialized in his second collection in pegmatite and rare species, bought this piece from Herb Obodda after one of his trips overseas in the 1990s. Ex. Ed. David Collection.
6.2 x 3.7 x 3.1 cm. This complex alumosilicate is one of the more obscure members of the Cancrinite group, especially in fine quality specimens. Typcially, Afghanite crystals, no matter how saturated the color may be, are opaque. This specimen hosts a rarely seen, very gemmy, and rather sharp, euhedral crystal of Afghanite of a lovely Sapphire blue color jutting out of a massive golden-white Calcite matrix. The termination is completely damage free and there is only one small rub at the base of the crystal. The crystal is about as sharp as I have seen for the species, and the obvious gemminess makes it an impactful and impressive example of this beautiful species. Ex. Brian Kosnar Collection.
7.2 x 5.6 x 5.4 cm. Afghanite is a very rare species only known in good crystals in recent years, though from an ancient and long-worked deposit for lazurite. Crystals of this size, however, are not at all common, even though a number of afghanite specimens have been mined over the last 5 years or so. This is a 4.5 x 1.5 x 1.3 cm crystal with rich blue color , and it is highly translucent when backlit. In fact, it is gemmy enough inside that you can cut stones from it of a pale blue color. The darkest shade of blue here is at the top end of the spectrum for the species, and rarely seen in any crystals over 1 cm. The crystal is doubly terminated and complete, having been excavated very carefully from the surrounding marble matrix. In all, then, it is a superb example for the species and the find, showing more aesthetics than one can normally expect. This specimen was formerly in the Ed David collection, in New Jersey, and has his #116C attached.
A very sharp, unusually translucent afghanite crystal! This gem is perched on nice contrasting matrix of calcite! 3.5 x 2 x 1 cm
This specimen features a complete, undamaged crystal one centimeter in length, with very distinct form, on a carefully trimmed matrix. Can be easily trimmed to thumbnail size. 4 x 2.5 x 1.4 cm
This complex silicate is one of the more obscure members of the Cancrinite group. This piece features several light blue color crystals up to 1.6 cm in a massive Calcite matrix. The finest crystals of this material are found at the Koksha Valley in Afghanistan. 7.6 x 6.2 x 5.5cm
A very aesthetic example of a mineral that is very difficult to find in pretty matrix specimens. There is a complete 2-cm crystal here, not just opaque but slightly TRANSLUCENT, intergrown with a second crystal that is also complete but grew against matrix on its side. DEEP , GLOWING BLUE color when backlit! Pics here shown without backlighting, though. The crystals stand up very nicely off the matrix. 5.3 x 2.7 x 1.7 cm
Named for its host country, and rare in discrete crystals elsewhere, afghanite at Sar e Sang, reaches its zenith for the species. A 2.5 cm tall, rich blue, translucent, lustrous, afghanite crystal is nicely perched on white marble. It is still a rare member of the feldspathoid group of minerals. THE COLOR IS TOPS on this one, and with a rare translucency! 3.4 x 3.1 x 2.6 cm
Named for its host country, and rare in discrete crystals elsewhere, afghanite at Sar e Sang, reaches its zenith for the species. A 2.5 cm tall, rich blue, translucent, lustrous, afghanite crystal is nicely perched on white marble. It is still a rare member of the feldspathoid group of minerals. THE COLOR IS TOPS on this one, and with a rare translucency!
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Rob Lavinsky, rob@irocks.com
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share specimen![Afghanite, Pyrite from Sar-e-Sang District, Koksha Valley (Kokscha; Kokcha), Badakhshan (Badakshan; Badahsan) Province, Afghanistan [db_pics/mdpics/MD-117697a.jpg]](db_pics/mdpics/MD-117697a.jpg)
![Sodalite, Afghanite from Sar-e-Sang District, Koksha Valley (Kokscha; Kokcha), Badakhshan (Badakshan; Badahsan) Province, Afghanistan [db_pics/mdpics/MD-118489a.jpg]](db_pics/mdpics/MD-118489a.jpg)
![Afghanite from Sar-e-Sang District, Koksha Valley (Kokscha; Kokcha), Badakhshan (Badakshan; Badahsan) Province, Afghanistan [db_pics/mdpics/MD-119348a.jpg]](db_pics/mdpics/MD-119348a.jpg)
![Afghanite from Sar-e-Sang District, Koksha Valley (Kokscha; Kokcha), Badakhshan (Badakshan; Badahsan) Province, Afghanistan [db_pics/mdpics/MD-119348b.jpg]](db_pics/mdpics/MD-119348b.jpg)
![Afghanite, Quartz from Sar-e-Sang District, Koksha Valley (Kokscha; Kokcha), Badakhshan (Badakshan; Badahsan) Province, Afghanistan [db_pics/mdpics/MD-130379a.jpg]](db_pics/mdpics/MD-130379a.jpg)
![Afghanite from Sar-e-Sang District, Koksha Valley (Kokscha; Kokcha), Badakhshan (Badakshan; Badahsan) Province, Afghanistan [db_pics/mdpics/MD-156302a.jpg]](db_pics/mdpics/MD-156302a.jpg)
![Afghanite, Lazurite from Sar-e-Sang District, Koksha Valley (Kokscha; Kokcha), Badakhshan (Badakshan; Badahsan) Province, Afghanistan [db_pics/mdpics/MD-208888a.jpg]](db_pics/mdpics/MD-208888a.jpg)
![Afghanite, Lazurite from Sar-e-Sang District, Koksha Valley (Kokscha; Kokcha), Badakhshan (Badakshan; Badahsan) Province, Afghanistan [db_pics/mdpics/MD-208888b.jpg]](db_pics/mdpics/MD-208888b.jpg)
![Afghanite from Sar-e-Sang District, Koksha Valley (Kokscha; Kokcha), Badakhshan (Badakshan; Badahsan) Province, Afghanistan [db_pics/mdpics/MD-214663a.jpg]](db_pics/mdpics/MD-214663a.jpg)
![Afghanite, Calcite from Rabot, Koksha Valley (Kokscha; Kokcha), Badakhshan (Badakshan; Badahsan) Province, Afghanistan [db_pics/mdpics/MD-266923a.jpg]](db_pics/mdpics/MD-266923a.jpg)
![Afghanite from Rabot, Koksha Valley (Kokscha; Kokcha), Badakhshan (Badakshan; Badahsan) Province, Afghanistan [db_pics/mdpics/MD-280483a.jpg]](db_pics/mdpics/MD-280483a.jpg)
![Afghanite from Sar-e-Sang District, Koksha Valley (Kokscha; Kokcha), Badakhshan (Badakshan; Badahsan) Province, Afghanistan [db_pics/mdpics/MD-32125a.jpg]](db_pics/mdpics/MD-32125a.jpg)
![Afghanite from Sar-e-Sang District, Koksha Valley (Kokscha; Kokcha), Badakhshan (Badakshan; Badahsan) Province, Afghanistan [db_pics/mdpics/MD-54861a.jpg]](db_pics/mdpics/MD-54861a.jpg)
![Afghanite from Koksha Valley (Kokscha; Kokcha), Badakhshan (Badakshan; Badahsan) Province, Afghanistan [db_pics/mdpics/MD-57221a.jpg]](db_pics/mdpics/MD-57221a.jpg)
![Afghanite from Sar-e-Sang District, Koksha Valley (Kokscha; Kokcha), Badakhshan (Badakshan; Badahsan) Province, Afghanistan [db_pics/mdpics/MD-60682a.jpg]](db_pics/mdpics/MD-60682a.jpg)
![Afghanite, Marble from Sar-e-Sang District, Koksha Valley (Kokscha; Kokcha), Badakhshan (Badakshan; Badahsan) Province, Afghanistan [db_pics/mdpics/MD-64387a.jpg]](db_pics/mdpics/MD-64387a.jpg)
![Afghanite on Marble from Sar-e-Sang, Badakhshan Province, Afghanistan [db_pics/pics/t06-330a.jpg]](db_pics/pics/t06-330a.jpg)
![Afghanite on Marble from Sar-e-Sang, Badakhshan Province, Afghanistan [db_pics/pics/t06-330b.jpg]](db_pics/pics/t06-330b.jpg)
![Afghanite on Marble from Sar-e-Sang, Badakhshan Province, Afghanistan [db_pics/pics/t06-330c.jpg]](db_pics/pics/t06-330c.jpg)