Albite

specimen number:
2072199

location:
Fundres, Trentino-Alto Adige, Italy

description:
Numerous blocky white lustrous crystals of albite across the front of matrix. This is in good condition.

The Fundres (Pfunders) locality, situated within the Val di Vizze area of Trentino-Alto Adige, Italy, is a classic alpine mineral site renowned for its high-grade metamorphic mineralogy. Geologically, the area is part of the Tauern Window, where Penninic units consisting of schist, gneiss, and marble underwent intense pressure and temperature changes during the Alpine orogeny. This environment facilitated the growth of exceptional silicate minerals within alpine-type fissures, most notably deep green titanite, lustrous adularia, and sharp crystals of pericline. Historically, the region has not been a site for large-scale industrial quarrying or metal mining; instead, its history is defined by centuries of seasonal mineral collecting by local "Strahlers" or crystal hunters. Activity in the high-altitude peaks surrounding Fundres has been documented since the 19th century and continues today, with collectors braving steep terrain to recover specimens that are prized for their transparency and classic alpine morphology.

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