FMF - Minerals Forum, discussion and message board

[Jim]

Has anyone out there ever seen a fine, gemmy crystal of staurolite? They must exist, as I've seen some faceted stones from such material. That said, I've never seen a truly fine example of a "gem crystal" of the species.

Thanks in advance for your help!

Cheers,

[lluis]

Yes, Jim

I have one (looking to find...ARghhh so much papers, books and so ....)

With best wishes

Lluís

[Luiz Menezes]

Hello Jim:

Gem grade dark reddish-bwron staurolite crystals have been found somewhere at the Coronel Murta - Araçuaí - Virgem da Lapa region, on the North of Minas Gerais; the crystals are not twinned and the color can only be seen against a strong light.

Luiz Menezes

[alfredo]

Colorless staurolites have been found in a trashy creek in a Philadelphia city park, but I think they're only mm size; too small to facet, unless you want to start a whole new hobby... microgems ;-))

[Jim]

Thanks everyone for the info. I'd love to see any photos you have of examples.

Looking forward to anything you can share!

Cheers,

[lluis]

Dear Luiz

From a tocayo to another, I have heard that my gemmy staurolite is from Borborema, Rio Grande do Norte, in Brazil

The location is bad and I should redone my file?

With best wishes

Lluís

(Luiz in catalan :-) )

[Luiz Menezes]

Prezado tocayo Lluis:

I have just asked Prof. Reinhard Wegner, a professor of Mineralogy and Gemology at the University of Campina Grande, in Paraíba state, about what he knows relative to the occurrence of gemmy staurolite at Chapada da Borborema; he told me it is not impossible to have happened because there were some finds of staurolite on the regional schists, but he does not remember to have seen any lot of gemmy staurolites from there.

So I would say that it is not impossible that your specimen came from there, but the most known locality in Brazil is the Arassuaí area on the North of Minas Gerais.

Regards

Luiz

[Jordi Fabre]

[Jim]