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CC46150

ELBAITE with Lepidolite

ELBAITE with Lepidolite


Size:
28 x 64 x 28 mm
Weight:
103 g
Regular price $3,500.00 USD
Regular price Sale price $3,500.00 USD
Sale Sold out
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Detailed information

Species Elbaite, Lepidolite
Dimensions 28 x 64 x 28 mm
Weight 103 g
Locality Himalaya Mine, Mesa Grande San Diego County California, USA
Condition No recorded repairs
Great Himalaya mine Elbaite crystals are much sought after on account of their rarity and because they are so integral to the history of gem pegmatite mining in the United States. This individual, 6.4 cm long, chunky, doubly-terminated Elbaite crystal is an extremely fine example. One end of the prismatic crystal is a perfectly smooth pinacoid face which acts as a natural base for the crystal to stand up. The other end of the crystal is somewhat castellated, made up of many small crystals sloping at a gentle angle. The prism sides display classic vertical striations - growth lines - and the usual curved sides seen in prismatic tourmaline crystals. Optically, the crystal is translucent but not gemmy, or transparent. Colourwise, over two-thirds of its length is pink, a shade of raspberry pink which lights up beautifully with directional lighting. With artificial light the pink has a slightly orange hue, but in daylight it is a vibrant bubble-gum pink. A thin (1 mm) bluish-grey band marks its 'base' where the pinacoid termination is, and upwards, beyond the pink, a wedge-shaped pale grey layer interrupts the crystal before its bright pink 'crown' of small terminated crystals. The crystal is intact, unrepaired, and represents the classic broad prism usually seen in Himalaya mine Elbaites. The only noticeable damage are a couple of small areas of abrasion on the upper termination, but because the individual crystals are stepped, or castellated, this scuffing is not instantly apparent. A couple of small clusters of platy Lepidolite crystals protrude from the upper sides of the crystal and a rogue 1.5 cm long terminated Elbaite crystal has grown sideways out from the top layer of terminated crystals, making an unusual gap. A really fine, classic Californian Elbaite of great shape, and with an excellent rich pink colour.

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I bought a specimen but it is not what I expected or was damaged in transit. Can I return the specimen?

Inevitably, sometimes things don't go as expected. Whether the specimen is damaged in transit or the identity is incorrect, we are aware that this can result in the return of a specimen.If your specimen is damaged during shipping, it is vitally important to take a photo of the packaging and specimen in situ. By recording this, we get an idea of the nature and possible reason behind the damage and will be able to process the return much faster.If you discover that the mineral species has been misidentified, we require details of the method of identification in order to understand why you believe this to be the case. If the identity is in question but no formal analysis has been attempted, Crystal Classics will assess the situation on a case-by-case basis. In some instances, this may mean the specimen is sent for analysis to determine the identity.In any scenario where a specimen is analysed and the species in question is not present on the specimen, we will provide a full refund.If you feel that the specimen was misrepresented in any way, please ensure you make contact with us within the 30 day grace period for resolution.In all instances, please ensure that you call or e-mail us immediately, prior to the return of a specimen to Crystal Classics, so that we can advise regarding the returns procedure. Failure to contact us prior to the return of a specimen may lead to the rejection of your return.Shipping costs of all returns are to be covered by the customer, unless the specimen was damaged in transit or if the identity is incorrect.