SM24-031
Rhodochrosite (twinned) on Feldspar
Bulochi, Astore Dist., Gilgit-Baltistan, Pakistan
Small Cabinet, 7.8 x 5.2 x 1.5 cm
$17,500.00 Payment Plan Available
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Rhodochrosite is well known from so many localities in the world, and yet so rare from gem crystal-producing localities. These gem locations are almost always pegmatite deposits, which is a complex kind of mineral deposit formed from fast cooling solutions rich in the ingredients for things like tourmaline, aquamarine, garnet, etc. Rhodochrosite, a carbonate, seldom occurs in any pegmatite environment and when it so rarely does, tends to be quite unusual in appearance - as we have here! This is a floater, complete, gorgeous extended crystal cluster of rhodochrosite showing twinned and chevron forms on the two large crystals that adjoin each other. They are complete in back as well, with a little flowery burst of quartz and cleavelandite attached. Small accents of cleavelandite blades dot the front as shallow white clusters, as well. This is one of the larger complete crystals from a find during COVID times, probably recovered in 2019. Only a few similar pockets have been found here in the last 45 years or so of Pakistani pegmatite specimen mining since the 1980s. This is a remarkable rhodochrosite specimen from ANY locale, let alone Pakistani.