Topaz on Albite with Muscovite

Topaz on Albite with MuscoviteDassu, Braldu Valley, Skardu District, Baltistan, Gilgit Baltistan (Northern Areas), Pakistan Here we have a classic sherry colored Topaz specimen from Pakistan. This area has long produced some of the finest Topaz specimens in recent memory from the standpoint of color, size, and gemminess. The piece hosts a few terrific, very sharp, textbook crystals of Topaz measuring up to 1. 5 cm with a classic saturated sherry color, but the fact that they are

Hopeite is truly only known from a few world localities in fine crystallized specimens

There were very few crystals with the quality of this piece in the lot

This locality bears the unique distinction of producing the only GEM quality (facet grade) Cassiterites from any mine in Bolivia

in the Mogok Township of Myanmar

Minor Albite and Muscovite can be seen on the reverse side of the piece

The top of the crystal actually shows a very slight "bend" which is not uncommon for Vivianite but not often seen from this locality

metallic Pyrite (pseudomorphs after compressed rhombohedra of Siderite)

ants (Formicidae) and bark beetles (Scolytinae)

and difficult to photograph

quality and near non-existence on the market

Ex – Brian Kosnar Collection

Chicote Grande is one of the "forgotten" mines in Bolivia over the last 20 years as very little material has been available