(MGW) ASTROPHYLLITE SPECIMEN 35 CTS FP 389

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About This Auction		About This Seller: mineralgemworld
Minimum Bid (USD)	9.99	Feedback Rating	99.84% Positive
Current Bid (USD)	9.99	Member Since	September 1, 2007 in Australia
Bid Increment	1.00	View feedback Send seller message View 2785 other auctions from this seller More about this seller
Bids Placed	1 jump to bid history
Starting Bid (USD)	9.99
Reserve Price (USD)	none
Starts	September 12, 2008 9:55 AM
Ends	September 17, 2008 9:48 AM	Basic Shipping Information
Auction Category	Mineral Specimens	Shipping Cost	3.00 paid by buyer
Auction ID	9417	Shipping Insurance (optional)	7.00
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Description

ASTROPHYLLITE SPECIMEN

(K,Na)3(Fe,Mn)7Ti2Si8O24(O,OH)KHIBINA MASSIF, KOLA PENINSULA, RUSSIA

THIS SPECIMEN WAS MINED IN THE KOLA PENINSULA RUSSIA ASTROPHYLLITE IS A VERY RARE, BROWN TO GOLDEN YELLOW HYDROUS POTASSIUN IRON TITANIUM SILICATE MINERAL. BELONGING TO THE ASTROPHYLLITE GROUP. ITS HIGH, SUBMETALLIC LUSTRE AND DARK COLOR CONTRAST SHARPLY WITH THE LIGHT COLOURED (FELSIC) MATRIX THE MINERAL IS REGULARLY FOUND WITHIN. ASTROPHYLLITE IS USUALLY OPAQUE TO TRANSLUCENT, BUT MAY BE TRANSPARENT IN THIN SPECIMEN. FOUND IN CAVITIES AND FISSURES IN UNUSUAL FELSIC IGNEOUS ROCKS, ASTROPHYLLITE IS ASSOCIATED WITH FELDSPAR, MICA, TITANITE, ZIRCON, NEPHELINE AND AEGIRINE. COMMON IMPURITIES INCLUDE MAGNESIUM, ALUMINIUM, CALCIUM ZIRCOMIUM, NIOBIUM AND TANTALUM. IT WAS FIRST DISCOVERED IN 1854 AT ITS TYPE LOCALITY: LAVEN ISLAND, NORWAY. INTERESTINGLY, KUPLETSKITE WAS NOT KNOWN UNTIL 1956, OVER A HUNDRED YEARS LATER.

SIZE: 25 X 22 X 11 MM APPROX.

WEIGHT: 35 CTS APPROX.