Sapphirine
8 in the gallery
Sapphirine is a mineral with a complex magnesium-aluminium silicate composition that forms in high-temperature, low-silica metamorphic rocks. It typically occurs as prismatic to tabular crystals and pale to deep green to blue-green masses, exhibiting a vitreous to silky lustre and a distinctive, often fibrous or intergrown habit. The Madagascar specimens are especially prized for their rich color and well-formed crystals, providing striking examples of sapphirine in its classic context.
- Formula
- (Mg,Al)8(Al,Si)6O20
- Rarity
- Rare
- Stability
- Stable
- Collector interest
- High Interest
Where Sapphirine is found
Top localities
- Anosy4 specimens
- Morafeno2 specimens
- Tranomaro-Maromby area2 specimens
About Sapphirine
Collectors value sapphirine for its rarity, its striking color, and its association with granulite-grade metamorphic environments. Fine crystals and well-documented localities from Madagascar offer compelling cabinet specimens with strong aesthetic appeal. In hand specimens, sapphirine can form with contrasting minerals such as garnet or quartz, adding visual interest and a geological narrative of high-temperature metamorphism.