Elbaite with Quartz

specimen number:
2072345

location:
Nuristan, Afghanistan

description:
Green lustrous translucent crystals of elbaite of a crystallized quartz matrix. In good condition. Lepidolite is rich throughout the matrix.

The Nuristan Province in northeastern Afghanistan is home to some of the world's most prolific lithium-rich pegmatite fields, situated within the Hindu Kush mountain range. Geologically, these late-stage granitic pegmatites intruded into older metamorphic rocks during the Himalayan orogeny, creating large miarolitic cavities that allow for the growth of exceptional gemstone crystals. The region is particularly famous for its elbaite tourmaline, which occurs in a stunning array of colors including bicolor pink and green "watermelon" crystals, as well as saturated blues and rare colorless varieties. Historically, while small-scale local mining for lapis lazuli and other gems has occurred for centuries, the systematic extraction of elbaite and other pegmatite minerals intensified in the 1970s and has continued intermittently through various periods of regional conflict. Mining and quarrying in Nuristan are primarily artisanal, with local miners working steep, high-altitude claims using traditional hand tools and explosives. As of 2026, Nuristan remains a critical global source for collector-grade elbaite specimens, prized for their impressive size, transparency, and complex color zoning.

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