Monazite-(Ce)

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Monazite gets its name from the Greek word "monazein," which means "to be alone," in allusion to its isolated crystals and their rarity when first found. Monazite is usually found in granitic pegmatites, but these crystals are found in hydrothermal tin veins where is an absolute absence of Thorium (usually a trace element in Monazite). This is a very good, well crystallized, rare specimen hosting sharp, lustrous, translucent, orange-pink, twinned crystals of Monazite-(Ce) measuring up to 3 mm on Quartz crystals on matrix. These twins are some of the most distinct and impressive twinned Monazite crystals I have seen from Bolivia. The crystals actually perform a color change in different lighting ranging from orange-pink to almost colorless depending upon the light source. This specimen has some good sized crystals for this mine. This piece is from the same vein as the classic material which was first described by Sam Gordon and Mark Bandy over 50 years ago.