Staurolite

Item Description

This is a relatively large (for the species), robust, doubly terminated, lustrous, dark brown-red, twinned Staurolite from Brazil. The two crystals measure 3.0 and 2.4 cm in length, respectively and show an unmistakable X-shape twin. They have slightly flattened pseudohexagonal outlines (monoclinic crystal system) with well-defined faces and edges and district flat, pinacoid terminations on each crystal. It sits nicely on either end of the larger crystal. The prism faces are all quite lustrous and the terminal faces have more of a matte finish. It displays the most common type of 60 degree penetration twin for the species. Rarely do you see such a well-formed, lustrous and three-dimensional example of the species, at least not from Brazil.