Kyanite from Sponda Alp - Pizzo Forno, Ticino, Switzerland

$125.00

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A loose prismatic glassy pale blue gem terminated crystal of kyanite. In excellent condition. Situated in the Chironico Valley within the Faido region of Ticino, Switzerland, Sponda Alp on Pizzo Forno is a world-famous Alpine mineral locality renowned for its remarkable metamorphic geology. The area forms part of the Penninic nappes, where extreme pressure and high-temperature metamorphism during the Alpine orogeny produced mica schists exceptionally rich in aluminum silicate minerals. Mineral collecting at Sponda Alp has a long history dating back to the 19th century, drawing geologists and specimen hunters to its high-altitude outcrops. The locality is famous among collectors for producing outstanding specimens of rich blue kyanite crystals, frequently associated with reddish-brown staurolite and paragonite, which remain highly prized in museums and private collections worldwide.