Sugilite

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Thick alternating bands of fabulously rich fibrous sugilite dominate this cabinet specimen from the N'Chwaning III mine from the Kalahari Manganese Field. Royal purple bands consist of parallel fibrous, and very chatoyant, sugilite alternating with bands of lavender sugilite that almost have a slightly wrinkled foil appearance! There are also thin bands of gray-black manganese-bearing shale which also serves as a contrasting margin to the piece on one side (bottom). Very colorfully and texturally striking! This is probably one of the most dramatic pieces of its type and certainly that we have ever seen! From a mid-2017 find, this piece simply screams with color on a shelf, and is the giant, cabinet sized version of all the thumbnail specimens I have seen selling for $500-1500 out on the marketplace. Nothing like it...