Description
This topaz crystal is from the Skardu District, Gilgit, Gilgit Baltistan (Northern Areas), Pakistan. Local miners dig in the granitic pegmatites in the area looking for crystal filled pockets. There are several gem varieties of minerals found in them including topaz. It is a silicate and it contains the elements Al, Si, O, F, and H. It can be found in a variety of colors which are created by different trace impurities in the crystal lattice. This is an almost colorless transparent crystal with a well defined orthorhombic habit and a glass luster. It has an elongated habit and the bottom termination has secondary or healed growth. It has a disc-like calcite (?) attached and a secondary deposits of druse calcite. It measures 1 3/8 x 7/8 (including calcite crystal) x 1/2 inches or 36 x 22 x 12 mm. It weighs 83 carats.
