Muscovite (stark yellow color) with Albite (ex Rolando Gioia Collection)

Item Description

Notably YELLOW colored "rosette"-like groups of translucent Muscovite which are intergrown with stark white colored Albite on this unusual and very attractive specimen from Brazil. The Muscovite does not have the silvery-golden appearance that we're used to seeing from Brazil, nor does it show much (only a little) of the pseudo-metallic luster that is often seen in the species. This material is different, and while I don't have a specific locality, I was able to find one very similar looking piece labeled as coming from the Itaitinga mine, Hematita, Antonio Dias, Minas Gerais, Brazil. I cannot confirm if this piece is from the same mine, but it's the closest thing I found in terms of a match. Addtionally, one can seem small "bursts" of golden-brown Eosphorite which are sprinkled here and there, which might help in narrowing down the specific mine where this piece was found. Overall, it's a showy and eye-catching specimen, and would make a great addition to a pegmatite suite, a collection of display-quality Mica specimens, or just a general Brazil collection. This color and form is rare for Muscovite and certainly worth picking up just for its uniqueness. From the collection of Rolando Gioia (a contributor to new definitive book on Brazilian minerals: "Minerais e Pedras Preciosas do Brasil").