Aeschynite from Arendal, Agder, Norway

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A cork stoppered glass vial with masses of black aeschynite. The size provided is the size of the vial.Aeschynite-(Y) is a rare-earth oxide mineral with a complex chemical makeup that typically contains yttrium, niobium, tantalum, titanium, and cerium. It generally crystallizes in the orthorhombic system, forming prismatic or tabular crystals that often display a dark brown to black color and a resinous to submetallic luster. The mineral is usually found in accessory quantities within rare-element granitic pegmatites and carbonatites, forming under high-temperature magmatic or hydrothermal conditions. Due to its radioactive components, specimen structures often become metamict over time, making intact crystalline examples prized by advanced mineral collectors.