Muséum national d'histoire naturelle _ The species

FROM : Paprok, Kamdesh, Afghanistan

This sample is an elbaite crystal hold in a cylindrical cover of lepidolite, the elbaite is associated with quartz. The elbaite crystal is pink and has green zonings at its top. The termination is rhomboedric and typical.

This sample comes from Paprok in Afghanistan. The Muséum national d’Histoire naturelle could obtain this specimen thanks to support from Total. It is today kept in the storage rooms of the collections of the Muséum national d’Histoire naturelle. (i.e., not yet displayed to the public)

Photography: Louis-Dominique Bayle, © MNHN.

SPECIE : Elbaite
VARIETY :Rubellite

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 : Vitreous 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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Elbaite

Rubellite

MNHN N°203.244

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