Yellow Monazite on Quartz
Collection
Robert Lavinsky
Description
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 remarkable, very well crystallized, very rare, specimen hosting sharp, lustrous, translucent, yellow crystals of Monazite-(Ce) measuring 5 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 show a color change in different lighting ranging from orange-pink to a yellowish color depending upon the light source. This specimen has some of the largest crystals seen from this mine, and it came out of the ground in 2009. This piece is from the same mine in which this material was discovered along the Contacto and San Jose veins in this mine and was first described by Sam Gordon and Mark Bandy.
Locality
Siglo Veinte Mine, Llallagua, Rafael Bustillo Province, Potosi Department, Bolivia
Dimensions
3.0 x 2.7 x 1.7 cm.
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