DiopsideBaxiyayike diopside occurrence, Baicheng Co., Akesu Prefecture, Xinjiang Autonomous Region, China
Photo: 2003 John H. Betts 巴西亚依克透辉石矿点, 拜城县 (باي ناھىيىس), 阿克苏地区 (ئاقسۇ ۋىلايىتى), 新疆维吾尔自治区, 中国
Gem diopside deposit, consisting of alkaline pegmatite veins that are hosted in marble. Individual veins are up to 300 m long and contain green diopside crystals of gem quality owing their colour to a small chromium content. The crystals are fully transparent, show prismatic or tabular-prismatic habits and measure 1-3.5 cm x 0.3-1.2 cm on average, but can be up to 7 cm long and up to 3 cm in diameter. Marbles in the northern part of the deposit also host diopside ore bodies that are 10-50 m long and 1.5-2 m wide, which produce fractured or cloudy crystals of an inferior quality. Marbles in the southern part of the deposit contain phlogopite and sodalite.
Located on the southern slopes of the South Tianshan range.
References
- Yanling Tang (2005): Non-metallic mineral deposits of Xinjiang, China [Zhongguo Xinjiang Fei Jinshu Kuangchuang]. Geological Publishing House (Beijing), 289 pp. (in Chinese)
Mineral List
3 entries listed. 3 valid minerals.
The above list contains all mineral locality references listed on mindat.org. This does not claim to be a complete list. If you know of more minerals from this site, please
register so you can add to our database. This locality information is for reference purposes only. You should never attempt to
visit any sites listed in mindat.org without first ensuring that you have the permission of the land and/or mineral rights holders
for access and that you are aware of all safety precautions necessary.
Mineral and Locality Search
