PHLOGOPITE: RARE MINERAL. ...

Description

PHLOGOPITE: RARE MINERAL
Pein Pyit, Mogok, Sagaing District, Mandalay Division, Myanmar (Burma)
Among the weird and fascinating suite of minerals found in the Ruby tracts of Myanmar (Burma), are some very fine examples of the Mica group, of which Phlogopite is one. Members of the Mica group are only rarely collected solely on their own merits. Usually their participation is limited to a supporting role as "associated' minerals. This is chiefly due to their normally two-dimensional form. Very rarely, Micas such as Phlogopite will crystallize in shapes with a pronounced third dimension. Here that property results in flat-topped pyramidal shapes that are enormous for what they are. Even more intriguing: they are transparent in cross-section with a "root-beer" brown coloration when back-lit. Transparency across the c-axis is a rarely observed phenomenon in Micas. Also unusual is the association of dark, blue-violet Spinel crystals scattered through the cream-colored matrix: Spinels are rare enough in their own right to be considered valuable gemstones. The specimen features two very sizable Phlogopite crystals with numerous smaller ones as well. The Phlogopites are in excellent condition with no observable damage. The largest Phlogopite measures an impressive 5 inches on edge and is approximately 3 inches in diameter. The overall measurements are 6 ½ x 5 x 4 inches and it has a custom labeled acrylic stand.

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