Danburite (rare blue color)

Alto Chapare, Chapare Province, Cochabamba Department, Bolivia
Toenail, 3.3 x 2.2 x 1.3 cm
Start Time: 07/20/2017 6:45:00 pm (CDT)
End Time: 07/27/2017 6:45:00 pm (CDT)
Auction Closed

Item Description

One of the new finds from last Summer's collecting in Bolivia. While these specimens are not a new find per se, they are new specimens from a well known locality. These are the only BLUE Danburite crystals that I have ever seen from any locality. Truly the crystals themselves are colorless, but are included by a rare Amphibole called Magnesioriebeckite, for which this is the type locality. This specimen is a very good quality display piece. It is a good sized (for the locality) sharp, highly lustrous, well formed, prismatic, gray-blue color crystal of Danburite with minor Talc. The termination is in great shape, and the piece is almost doubly-terminated, but the bottom half of the crystal is somewhat buried in the matrix. An interesting historical note about this locality: Supposedly the mineral was first discovered in the tomb of a "cacique" (a native Indian chief) where they had been placed jewels to signify that he was rich. The find of these crystals was made near there.

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