Orthoclase

specimen number:
2262110

location:
Baveno, Piedmont, Italy

description:
Classic Italian specimen with a prismatic terminated loose crystal of orthoclase. In very good condition. Chlorite is present as well. Complete all around.

The town of Baveno, situated on the western shore of Lake Maggiore in the Piedmont region of Italy, is famous for its historical granite quarries and unique mineralogical diversity. Geologically, the area is part of the Baveno-Mottarone pluton, a late-Hercynian granitic intrusion characterized by high-silica pink granite that contains numerous miarolitic cavities formed by trapped volcanic gases. Baveno is the type locality for the Baveno-law twin of orthoclase, a potassium feldspar mineral that occurs there as well-formed, flesh-pink to white crystals, often reaching significant sizes within these pockets. Historically, mining and quarrying of the Baveno Pink Granite began in the 16th century, with large-scale industrial extraction expanding significantly during the 19th century to provide decorative stone for major monuments across Europe and the Americas. While many of the historic quarries have transitioned into sites for heritage and tourism, some extraction activities for high-quality dimension stone continue through 2026. The locality remains a cornerstone of mineralogical study due to its complex paragenesis, hosting over sixty different mineral species discovered within the granitic matrix.

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