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Elbaite

Elbaite

MNHN N°193.50

visu_17 infos
FROM : Paprok, Kamdesh, Afghanistan
SIZE : 18 x 7 x 7 cm

general description

This elbaite sample is made up of a main pink prism of elbaite with rare pale green zones.

The prism is ribbed in parallel to its length and is fluffed up with numerous small crystals of the same colour fully gemmeous. Its width is 18 cm x 7 cm, the small crystals measure 2 cm for the bigger ones.

This sample was acquired by the Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle thanks to support from Total and comes from Paprok in Afghanistan.

It is currently exposed in the Treasure Room, within the Gallery of Mineralogy of the Muséum national d’Histoire naturelle

Photography: Louis-Dominique Bayle, © MNHN.
The Species page
Identity card
SPECIE : Elbaite

HISTORY : Named after its type-locality: Elba Island, Italy

Species first described in 1913 by Vladimir Ivanovich Vernadsky (1863-1945), Russian scientist, founder of geochemistry

Type-locality: San Piero In Campo, Elba Island, Tuscany, Italy

CHEMICAL FORMULA : Na(Al,Li)3 Al6(BO3)3 Si6O18 (OH)4
CRYSTAL SYSTEM : Rhomboedric
COLOR : Pink to red, mauve, green
DIAPHANIETY : Transparent to translucent
LUSTER : Vitreux to resineous
STREAK : White
MORPHOLOGY : Prismatic acicular crystals
HARDNESS : 7
DENSITY : 2,90-3,10

CHEMICAL CLASS : VIII - Silicates
GROUP : Tourmaline
STRUNZ CLASS BEFORE 2001 : 8/E.19-10
STRUNZ CLASS AFTER 2001 : 9.CK.05
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