Beryl var: Morganite

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Morganite
A variety of Beryl Be₃Al₂Si₆O₁₈ Hexagonal

Morganite with Quartz on Cleavelandite, 19,2cm. Laghman Provonce, Afghanistan	© www.exceptionalminerals.com

Introduction:


Morganite
Afghanistan
Konar Province, Chapa Dara District, Dara-i-Perch

Morganite 5,1cm	© Rob Lavinsky

Be-Nb-Ta-Li-rich pegmatites, hosted in a variety of lithologies. There are two types of pegmatites found within the ore field: (1) large albitized microcline pegmatites with beryl, and (2) spodumene-albite pegmatites with complex Li-Be mineralization.

Pech, Peech and Dara-i-Pech (also spelled Darra-i-Pech, Darrah Pech, and sometimes Page) are the same place. "Dara" means "valley", so in English the location name is "Pech Valley". Likewise, specimens labelled as coming from Dara-i-Pech do not necessarily come from this pegmatite field, but may originate from any place in the Pech valley. This area icludes Chapa Dara, Dara-i-Pech, Wata Pur and Asadabad Districts in Konar Province, as well as Wama District in Nuristan Province.
Further note that many Afghanis will still use the name "Nuristan" in a traditional sense, to mean all of northeastern Afghanistan. This traditional meaning of the place name "Nuristan" is not to be confused with the current Nuristan Province, which covers only a portion of "Nuristan" in the traditional sense. Moreover, there also exists a Nuristan District, which covers a minor part of southern Nuristan Province.


Morganite
Afghanistan
Laghman Province

Morganite 8cm	© H. Obodda

Nuristan province sensu stricto (http://www.mindat.org/loc-135473.html) became officially recognised in 2001 (wikipedia) or 2004 (statoids.com), but was already known for 10 years. It was formed from the northern parts of Laghman Province and Konar (Kunar) Province.
The capital of the Nuristan Province is Nuristan.
Note, however, that "Nuristan" is also the traditional name for the region that encompasses these three current provinces (i.e., NE Afghanistan) and the name is still often used in that fashion.

Known for very nice pink Morganites with centres of blue Aquamarine.


Work in progress



Edited 15 time(s). Last edit at 04/27/2011 08:45PM by Harjo Neutkens.