Mineral: Elbaite
Locality: Badakhshan Province, Afghanistan
Dimensions: 14 x 14 x 12 cm / main crystal: 11.5 cm

Description: Mass: 1700 g MIM number:1767 Intact combination of five different minerals: one large central elbaite crystal (with a translucent dark green body and pale pink top), two smoky quartz crystals (max 10.5 cm), mica, clevelandite dotted with hundreds of very small pink elbaite crystals, and crystal of hambergite (2.5cm) half buried on top of the central elbaite crystal. The latter has also entirely "absorbed" near its top a crystal which also seems to be hambergite. This sample appears to have been found as is, without cleaning or surface improvement as is often the case with Afghan tourmalines. Photographer: AINU / Augustin de Valence Publication: "Paragénesis - Revista de Mineralogía 2019-2"

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