ALLANITE
Specimen all-8

Dims: 1.6 x 1.5 x 1.4" (4.1 x 3.8 x 3.6 cm)

Wt: 2.60 oz. (73.7 g)

Kingman Feldspar Mine, Mohave County, Arizona, U.S.A.

This simple, large thumbnail specimen consists of a formless chunk of Allanite, a rather complex silicate. As it shows no crystal form, a damage and quality assessment is impossible. The Allanite has a basic black coloration with some dark brown highlights and shows a bright pearly-to-vitreous luster on its freshly-broken surfaces.

Dims: 1.6 x 1.5 x 1.3" (4.1 x 3.8 x 3.3 cm)

Wt: 3.11 oz. (88.2 g)

Kingman Feldspar Mine, Mohave County, Arizona, U.S.A.

A formless chunk of Allanite makes up this small specimen. As no crystal form is discernable, it is difficult to say that it is damaged, though there are several fresh breakage surfaces on it. Its intact surfaces have a moderately dark brown color and a dull waxy luster. The breakage surfaces, on the other hand, show a black color with faint brown highlights in some places, and a bright pearly luster. As far as I can tell, the material is thoroughly opaque. There is no associated host rock present.

Dims: 3.9 x 1.9 x 0.7" (9.9 x 4.8 x 2.8 cm)

Wt: 3.45 oz. (97.8 g)

Bicroft Mine, Bancroft, Ontario, Canada

This specimen contains what appear to be several crystalline pieces of Allanite. The pieces tend to be oblong and rather flat, but show several naturally flat surfaces and a few edges. There is still no clearly discernable monoclinic form. It has the standard black coloration and waxy-to pearly luster of its species, and is completely opaque. It is accompanied by a small amount of massive, white calcite, and both minerals are partly embedded in what appears to be a red granite host rock.

Dims: 1.2 x 1.1 x 0.8" (3.0 x 2.8 x 2.0 cm)

Wt: 1.10 oz. (31.1 g) w/ specimen box

Lincoln County, New Mexico, U.S.A.

This thumbnail specimen consists of a crystalline quartz base on which rest a few Allanite crystals. Most of these crystals are broken and mostly incomplete, but one in particular is intact, in excellent condition and is very exposed. It has dimensions of approximately 0.3 x 0.1" (8 x 3 mm), and is 1 mm thick. It has a monoclinic, pseudotetragonal bladed form that is nearly identical in appearance to that of wulfenite- all edges are sharp and all faces are clean. It has the standard black color of Allanite and shows a rather dull, pearly-to-waxy luster. The base on which it rests is mostly broken, but a few small quartz crystals are intact. Two of these are adjacent to the Allanite blade. They are well-formed, colorless, and transparent, though slightly rust-stained. The piece is hot-glued to a foam base that fits in the bottom of a plastic specimen box.

Dims: 2.2 x 1.9 x 1.2" (5.6 x 4.8 x 3.0 cm)

Wt: 3.05 oz. (86.5 g)

Kingman Feldspar Mine, Mohave County, Arizona, U.S.A.

This small hand specimen consists of a shapeless chunk of black Allanite. It shows no visible crystal form and a waxy luster where its surfaces are weathered, but a brighter, pearly luster where fresh damage has occurred.

Dims: 3.0 x 1.6 x 1.5" (7.7 x 4.0 x 3.9 cm)

Wt: 4.4 oz. (126 g)

Kingman Feldspar Mine, Mohave County, Arizona, U.S.A.

This large cabinet specimen consists primarily of a chunk of shapeless, relatively pure Allanite. It shows no crystal form and has the standard black color and bright pearly luster, although the material is streaked with mahogany-brown in some places. There is no evidence of any host rock. Analysis on the material shows the following rare-earth percentages, likely by weight: Ce=8.1%, La=4.4%, Nd=4.2%, Th=2.7%, Y=1.3%, Pr=1.0%, Sm=1.0%, Gd=0.7%.

Dims: 2.2 x 2.2 x 1.1" (5.5 x 5.5 x 2.8 cm)

Wt: 2.6 oz. (74 g)

Dugannon Township, York River, Canada

This hand specimen consists of a rusty quartz matrix which holds 5 Allanite crystals. Though two of these crystals are badly damaged, the others are intact and show only light damage. The largest of these crystals has dimensions of 0.6 x 0.4 x 0.1" (1.6 x 0.9 x 0.2 cm), and like all the others, it has excellent monoclinic tabular form and the standard black color and greasy luster. The crystals contain at least one radioactive element, as they register slightly on my geiger-muller counter.

Dims: 2.4 x 1.6 x 1.3" (6.1 x 4.0 x 3.3 cm)

Wt: 2.9 oz. (81 g)

Dugannon Township, York River, Canada

At least 12 partial and complete Allanite crystals are embedded in the rusty quartz matrix of this small cabinet piece. Though many of these crystals are broken and incomplete, there are at least 3 that are intact and in very good condition. The largest visible crystal is intact and has dimensions of 1.0 x 0.7 x 0.1" (2.6 x 1.9 x 0.3 cm). All have excellent monoclinic tabular form and the standard black color and dull greasy luster. The crystals contain at least one radioactive element, as they register slightly on my geiger-muller counter.