A Special Selection from Pakistan and Afghanistan
The minerals on this page are a lot of material I am pleased to be able to offer, and a bit different from the minerals I usually carry. This variety of minerals came directly from a Pakistani mine representative. Many of the specimens are unusual in their associations, crystal habits, and origins. Unfortunately I do not have exact localities for these minerals; the man who brought them to Tucson simply said most were from Skardu, which generally describes a large system of Himalayan pegmatites and mines in the region of the Northern Areas of Pakistan near the town of Skardu. There are also a few specimens from Afghanistan.
Most of these specimens have a "wart" or two: some have a little damage, some could stand a little attention in the cleaning and trimming department. But there is something of interest and merit about each of them, and I think you'll find that the prices are fair and appropriately reflect the specimens' value.
|
|
Apatite on matrix A 2x2.5x3 cm cluster of purple apatite crystals on a large slab of pegmatite granite, with a bit of feldspar.
|
|
|
|
Diopside A nice, compact cluster of gemmy, deep green diopside prisms. Very attractive; even though there are a few broken points, all the major crystals are intact and undamaged.
|
 larger image |
|
|
Diopside A haystack spray of diopside needles, with one major crystal measuring 1.5x3.5x0.3 cm. You don't see specimens like this too often.
|
|
|
|
Epidote with Albite A very interesting mass of intergrown epidote crystals with sparkling, snow-white albite. There is some damage to one side of the specimen, but there are plenty of beautiful, complete crystals of both minerals.
|
|
|
|
Fluorite with Albite on matrix I think this is a fabulous specimen! A very large, sharp, deep purple, octahedral fluorite crystal with albite on one side of its base and an unidentified, layered black mineral on the other. The fluorite is gem-clear at the top of the crystal, which has a major contact (not damage). This is the only pegmatitic fluorite of such deep purple I've ever seen from Pakistan. |
|
|
|
Kunzite on matrix A pair of 6x3x1 cm light lavendar, doubly-terminated spodumene crystals sitting in parallel on a bit of matrix. The crystals are water-clear, in fact, you can see the layer of matrix material that separates the crystals through their sides. Crystals are a lighter pink-lavendar than they appear in these photos.
|
 larger image |
|
|
Sphene A very nice "toenail" size specimen consisting of a pair of bright yellow-green sphene crystals with albite. The crystals have a dusting of chlorite on one end. A classic Alpine sphene.
|
 larger image |
 larger image |
Sphene with Adularia on matrix Another nice Alpine Sphene, this one a doubly-terminated twin, included with chlorite in the top half.
|
|
|
|
Smoky Quartz with Spodumene A beautiful "slab" of smoky quartz emerging from a flat granite matrix. In 3 areas on the specimen there are many partial and 3 or 4 complete, pale green spodumenes alongside the quartz. The most prominent spodumene is about 3x1 cm and stands about 2 cm above the quartz. |
|
 larger image |
Tourmaline with Quartz and Mica A fascinating specimen of several dark blue-black tourmalines with clear blue caps, covered with small, rounded stacks of translucent mica, with a couple of very clear quartz crystals. Many parts of the specimen have a thin coating of snow-white pocket clay that adds to the contrast, but could probably be removed if desired.
|
|
 larger image |
Herderite with Quartz and Tourmaline A beautiful clear quartz crystal emerging from a base of albite and tourmaline, with a perfect, clear, yellow-green crystal of Herderite protruding from one side. Many of the crystal faces of this specimen have a coating of white pocket material that could probably be removed if desired.
|
|
|
|
Tourmaline with Quartz and Herderite Very attractive group of blue-black tourmalines with clear blue caps in a matrix of albite and white pocket material. Between the two main tourmaline crystals is a nice, doubly-terminated quartz, and on one side is a 0.6 cm Herderite crystal. |
|
 larger image |
Tourmaline with Albite and Herderite Another aesthetic group of blue-black tourmalines with thin, clear blue caps, nestled in bright white albite. Along the right side of the specimen rests a perfect, doubly-terminated, 1.3 cm crystal of pale yellow Herderite. This is another specimen that might benefit from additional cleaning to remove the white pocket material that coats much of the matrix.
|
|
|
|
Tourmaline with Albite, Mica and Herderite One more nice tourmaline group, deep blue-black crystals with clear blue tops, with an attached cluster of albite and mica. Protruding from the top of the tourmalines is a very nice 1x0.8 cm pale yellow green Herderite crystal. Very unusual and aesthetic. |
|
Alpine Minerals | Minerals | Pakistan Special