phenakite cluster from anjanaboinona pegmatites

Hi everyone,

Here we have a nice phenakite cluster made of dozens of terminated crystals on quartz matrix. I bought it 3 days ago in Ambohimanambola, Madagascar, and comes from one of the Anjanaboinona pegmatites.

It measures 9x4.7x4cm, crystals up to 1.8cm, and are well terminated. Only one out of the dozens is broken, the others are complete and undamaged.
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Crystals have a very good luster, gemmy to tranlucent with a pure white color.

Usually crystals from there are small (mainly less than 1cm), these have a reasonable size. And also there are seldom found as clusters on matrix, but mainly as single crystals.

Any idea of the value of this specimen?

Thanks!

Regards.

Julien

I would think the specimen would be worth several hundred dollars. More than $1000. Possibly. As you say matrix phenacites from this locality are quite rare. I once heard of a beer can size single crystal, but have never seen a matrix specimen.

Rock Currier
Crystals not pistols.

Nice piece, Julien.
Is this the same pegmatite that produces phenakite on schorl? I have a specimen supposedly from the same peg in which the phenakites are water clear.

Thanks Rock for your valuation.

Ken, I've seen gem phenakite crystals on very dark terminated greenish brown tourmaline (dravite?) from this locality few years ago. The phenakite crystals were quite small, about 0.5cm, but as you said water clear. These clusters were beautiful with a nice color contrast. So I would say yes, your specimen may come from the Anjanaboinona pegmatites. Do you have maybe a picture of your specimen to share?

Regards.

Julien:
I'll post a photo later when I get home. It certainly looks like schorl to me (not tested), and it is absolutely encrused with clear xls, and was obviously part of a larger mass of the same.
Thanks.
k

Here is my specimen. The tourmaline is more or less black and opaque and only a little brown at some edges. Dravite?
The total specimen is 3.5x2.5x2.5cm, and is the twin of mindat photo ID 157685. The largest crystal on mine is DT and 8mm long. Most are hard to measure as they are so intergrown. The only broken crystals are around the edges where the piece was broken from what I presume was a larger mass of the stuff.

My piece was relatively inexpensive - less than $100. I'd say yours is worth much more, but I don't know about $1000. Rock knows more than me though.
Thanks.
k