Aegirine with Quartz

specimen number:
2063850

location:
Mt. Malosa, Zomba, Malawi

description:
Lustrous black crystals of aegirine, the most prominent crystal double terminated and 4.2 cm in length, coming off of a crystal of smoky quartz. The quartz is lustrous and gemmy. In very good condition all around. The specimen comes with a previous label from Ray DeMark. Said to have been collected in June, 1996.

Located in the Zomba district of Malawi, the Mt. Malosa alkaline massif formed during a major episode of intrusive magmatism within the Chilwa Alkaline Province, characterized by peralkaline syenites and pegmatite pockets rich in rare earth elements and volatiles. Artisanal mining and systematic specimen collecting across the rugged mountain slopes have yielded world-class mineral specimens from complex miarolitic cavities. Among the notable species discovered here is aegirine, which crystallizes in these pegmatites as sharp, lustrous, dark green to black prismatic crystals often associated with microcline, arfvedsonite, and a variety of rare silicates. Collectors and researchers value the Malosa aegirine for its exceptional crystal definition and association with diverse rare mineral assemblages formed during late-stage hydrothermal crystallization.

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