Albite with Muscovite

specimen number:
2072280

location:
Sapo Mine, Minas Gerais, Brazil

description:
Lustrous colorless bladed crystals of albite very rich across a crystallized muscovite matrix. In good condition. Fine large cabinet example for the species.

The Sapo Mine, located in Ferruginha, Conselheiro Pena, Minas Gerais, Brazil, is a prolific producer situated within the Eastern Brazilian Pegmatite Province. Geologically, the deposit is a complex, zoned granitic pegmatite that intruded into Precambrian-age schists during the Neoproterozoic Era. While the mine is world-famous for its unique "apatite-green" tourmaline and hydroxylherderite, it also produces exceptional specimens of albite, specifically the variety known as cleavelandite. The albite here typically occurs as bladed, stark white to translucent crystals that form intricate, platy rosettes or cellular masses, providing a sharp visual contrast as a matrix for gem-quality minerals. Historically, mining and quarrying in this region of Minas Gerais began in earnest during the mid-20th century to supply industrial mica and beryl. The Sapo Mine itself saw a significant increase in production for mineral specimens starting in the 1970s and 1980s. Large-scale discovery of its most iconic gem pockets occurred in the late 1990s and continued through the early 2000s. As of 2026, the mine remains an active site for specimen recovery, celebrated for contributing some of the most distinct and high-quality silicate associations found in the Brazilian interior.

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