Description
This spodumene crystal is from the Lagham Province of Afghanistan.This province is a large area that encompasses many gem bearing pegmatites. There are dozens of mines and diggings that recover many different minerals including spodumene which is often called kunzite when in lilac or purple form. Spodumene is a lithium rich silicate that contains the elements Li, Si, Al and O. Its crystals are usually recrystallized or altered by chemical and temperature changes in the hydothermal solutions in which they formed. This is double terminated complex crystal with an unaltered beveled termination on one end and a modified complex termination at the other end. The prism faces are smooth and lack the striations that are commonly found on altered crystals. It is transparent with internal flawing or veiling. The luster is glass-like and it has a yellow hue under LED lighting. This crystal measures 1 7/8 x 1 1/2 x 5/8 inches or 48 x 38 x 17 mm.
