Ilmenite

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Ilmenite is a common iron titanium oxide mineral, but is extremely rare in euhedral crystal form, and even rarer in larger, display-worthy crystals. This wonderful individual matrixless crystal is from somewhere you might not expect - Paprok, Kamdesh District, Nuristan Province, Afghanistan. Better known for gem pegmatites, the region also hosts other types of mineral deposit, and the pegmatites also sometimes include Ilmenite, Cassiterite and Columbite Group species. Not only is this crystal large - at 4 cm across - but it presents a wonderful shape, as a flat, tabular, platy crystal with bevelled edges. Its main faces are rhombic in form, from its trigonal crystal system, but it is remarkably 'flattened' in form compared with most large Ilmenite crystals seen from other classic occurrences. It displays a fine deep grey colour with a resinous to submetallic lustre. It is mounted on an acryllic base for display and looks wonderful.