PMRARE15-047
Burbankite with Gaidonnayite, Ilmenite, Analcite, Natrolite
Pedreira da Prefeitura, Pocos de Caldas, Minas Gerais, Brazil
Cabinet, 8.5 x 4.5 x 2.0 cm
Ex. Paulo Matioli
SOLD
Large, prominent natrolite crystals are host to a plethora of splendid microcrystals of several mineral species. Under the microscope, highly acicular natrolite crystals, resembling "skywalks", extend from one stout natrolite "skyscraper" to another and are beautifully accented with spectacular strings of bright platy ilmenite microcrystals. Ilmenite also occurs as lustrous, platy, well-formed single crystals and clusters to 2mm on one end of the specimen. A single, 1.5mm, blocky, well-formed, transparent, light tan crystal of gaidonnayite is nested within a cluster of large natrolite crystals on the wider end of the specimen and is associated with a few translucent, white, flattened, hexagonal crystals of burbankite. Both minerals are sparsely distributed on the remainder of the piece and are easily located using short-wave UV. Gaidonnayite and burbankite fluoresce bright green and pink-red, respectively. White, well-formed, <1mm, isometric crystals of analcime are distributed through the specimen. This piece is an absolute marvel under the microscope! Pedreira da Prefeitura, Pocos de Caldas, Minas Gerais, Brazil. Ex. Paulo Matioli collection.