LEUCOPHANITE
Specimen lcp-1

Dims:1.9x1.5x1.5" (4.8x3.8x3.8 cm)

Wt: 1.8oz. (52g)

Mt. St. Hilaire, Quebec, Canada

This is an excellent triclinic crystal of leucophanite included by aegirine on a matrix of feldspar and aegirine. This crystal is tabular and nearly transparent. It measures 0.2" (0.5cm) across. The crystal appears almost orthorhombic until one closely examines the corners of the crystal to find additional faces. There is no damage to this specimen.

Dims: 1.12x0.71x0.66" (2.85x1.80x1.67cm)

Wt: 0.32oz (8.95g)

Saga quarry, Tvedalen, Norway

This specimen displays many green crystals of leucophanite in a colorless transparent to translucent host rock that also contains many black aegirine crystals. The best of the leucophanite crystals are transparent and a lovely dark olive-green, with a vitreous luster. The crystals are relatively long, with a rectangular cross section. Most of the sparkle on this specimen comes from the leucophanite. The aegirine looks relatively dull, and the host rock (which looks like quartz except for a few areas that look disturbingly like cleavage) is not very specular.