Detailed information
Species
Petalite
Dimensions
113 x 56 x 24
mm
Weight
218 g
Locality
Paprok, Kamdesh District Nuristan Province Afghanistan
Condition
No recorded repairs
Petalite has come into the public eye in recent years as an ore of lithium - required for batteries - but despite more exploration for sources of lithium, crystals of Petalite are virtually never seen. That is what makes this specimen so special. It is not only a very nicely formed crystal, but it is huge, making this a very significant and important piece. At 11.3 cm tall, this white, wedge-shaped crystal is a classic monoclinic form. The surfaces are naturally slightly etched, with minor surface pitting, but with glassy areas. This is certainly a spectacular Petalite, and something which would look fantastic in a display of resources required for modern technology. Its base is where it was detached from matrix and the only other broken surface is a small section up one edge of the lowermost part of the crystal. Nevertheless, this is a spectacular Petalite. Remarkably, it doesn't come from a mine specifically worked for lithium, but from the lithium-rich pegmatites at Paprok in Kamdesh District, Nuristan Province, Afghanistan.