Viitaniemiite with Elbaite Tourmaline, Quartz
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This is an exceptional, well-composed small cabinet piece of the rare phosphate viitaniemiite with elbaite tourmaline from a complex pegmatite at Chhappu, Pakistan. Viitaniemiite is a complex sodium-calcium-manganese-aluminum phosphate and is a secondary phosphate formed by the alteration of primary pegmatite phosphates like triphylite-lithiophilite and amblygonite-montebrasite by late stage pegmatite fluids. This is an important cluster of composed of several, translucent, stout prismatic, monoclinic crystals of viitaniemiite from 0.7 to 5.1 cm in size growing in random orientation, although the large, commanding crystal stands straight up growing out of a nest of smaller, but still good sized and well-formed crystals. There are numerous lime-green, translucent to transparent, lightly striated, mostly unterminated prisms of tourmaline that comprise the "matrix" at the underside of the piece. The viitaniemiite crystals are sharply formed and in excellent condition. A very refined, complete all around round, competitive small cabinet-sized example from this 2024 find at a new locality for the species in large crystals.
Product details
SpeciesTourmaline, Quartz, Elbaite, Viitaniemiite
SizeSmall Cabinet
Dimensions6.0 x 5.8 x 3.9 cm
Listed on03/20/2026
LocalityPakistan, Gilgit-Baltistan, Chhappu
SKURARE25-180
Current owner
A
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