Detailed information
Species
Stokesite
Dimensions
23 x 32 x 50
mm
Weight
34 g
Locality
Urucum Mine Galiléia, Doce valley Minas Gerais, Brazil
Condition
No recorded repairs
The calcium tin silicate Stokesite is a species we very rarely feature, so it is wonderful to present this fine specimen from the Urucum mine (claim) at Galiléia in the Doce valley, Minas Gerais, Brazil. Stokesite forms in granite pegmatites and is one of the five 'Holy Grail' species from Cornwall from where very few specimen are known. The bladed Stokesite crystals form a near-perfect spherical aggregate of translucent creamy white aesthetically perched on a narrow tower of quite fine grained granite pegmatite. The Urucum mine lies within the Aimorés pegmatite district of the Eastern Brazilian pegmatite province. This mine was discovered in 1962 when a gigantic geode was found, lined with Kunzite (Spodumene) and Morganite (Beryl) crystals averaging 50 centimetres and filled with coloured tourmalines, garnets, lepidolite and columbite. Can you imagine finding such a thing?! This Stokesite may not be as spectacular as all these minerals, but it is by far much rarer!