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Identity HelpRussian locality

9th Oct 2018 22:36 UTCReiner Mielke Expert

I have a sample of Smaragdite with a label saying it is from Mt.Karpinski, near Serveroulski, Urals I can't find the locality in Mindat. Does anyone know where this is? Thank you.

10th Oct 2018 01:47 UTCKevin Conroy Manager

Please see http://archive.li/WlpBw

10th Oct 2018 01:59 UTCPavel Kartashov Manager

Hi Reiner,

Mt. Karpinskogo is the second in height Mt of Ural - https://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%93%D0%BE%D1%80%D0%B0_%D0%9A%D0%B0%D1%80%D0%BF%D0%B8%D0%BD%D1%81%D0%BA%D0%BE%D0%B3%D0%BE_%28%D0%A3%D1%80%D0%B0%D0%BB%29. But I don't think, that any smaragdite was known from here.

"Serveroulski" hint us to Severouralsk city in Sverdlovskaya oblast'. There smaragdite is more possible, but still not famous.

A photo of the specimen able to help more, than its completely wrong label. I bet for chromian pargasite from Kempirsai (https://www.mindat.org/photo-157335.html) or something similar. ;-)

10th Oct 2018 02:30 UTCKevin Conroy Manager

If you enter "Karpinski, Komi Republic, Russia" in Google Earth it will take you there. However, Pavel is definitely the expert!

10th Oct 2018 13:02 UTCReiner Mielke Expert

Here are some pictures.

10th Oct 2018 13:44 UTCPavel Kartashov Manager

From my point of view this isn't smaragdite or amphibole at all. This is fuchsite in dolomite matrix. As whole, this is typical listvenite - carbonate metasomatite after ultrabasic rocks known in many places around Severouralsk. The most known and often visited place with listvenites (where they are mined for carving) is Berezovskoe deposit.

10th Oct 2018 17:42 UTCReiner Mielke Expert

I tested the matrix, hardness 6, does not effervesce in concentrated HCl. I think it is albite.

10th Oct 2018 19:12 UTCPavel Kartashov Manager

This may to be feldspar bearing variety of listvenite transitive to berezites. But in any case the green mineral is mica, not amphibole.

10th Oct 2018 22:27 UTCPavel Kartashov Manager

This is listvenite of medium quality.

Not the best sort, but quite usual and typical one.

11th Oct 2018 00:46 UTCReiner Mielke Expert

Yes it does look similiar. My piece has small grains of sphalerite in it, is that normal?

11th Oct 2018 12:24 UTCPavel Kartashov Manager

This isn't sphalerite, but limonitized pyrite (thin goethite film over lustrous pyrite crystals). This is very typical.

Sphalerite (and galena) is possible, but is much more rare than pyrite.

This rock is poor gold ore. But during weathering and oxidation it is important source for gold placers formation.