RAITE
Specimen rai-1
$ 55.00
Dims: 1.8x1.1x1.6" (4.5x3.7x4.1cm)
Wt: 2.26 oz. (64.0g)
Yubileinaya vein, Karnasurt Mine, Lovozero, RUssia
This is a surprisingly good specimen of the rare mineral raite, although the crystals are tiny and comprise only a small fraction of the specimen. More than half of the specimen is albite (or a similar feldspar), and most of the rest is reddish-brown crystals of eudialite. In addition, there are many small crystals of other minerals, which I have not identified. Nestled in cavities in the eudialite are thousands of transparent honey-brown acicular crystals of raite which are large enough to sparkle brightly in sunlight. In the largest, most protected cavity, these crystals are organized as minute puffballs which appear a darker brown in the aggregate. It takes a bright point light source (such as direct sunlight) to readily identify all of the raite, and a loupe to truely appreciate the crystals.
 Amethyst Galleries' Mineral Gallery MINERALS |
RAITE specimen rai-1
$ 55.00
$ 55.00
Dims: 1.8x1.1x1.6" (4.5x3.7x4.1cm)
Wt: 2.26 oz. (64.0g)
Yubileinaya vein, Karnasurt Mine, Lovozero, RUssia
This is a surprisingly good specimen of the rare mineral raite, although the crystals are tiny and comprise only a small fraction of the specimen. More than half of the specimen is albite (or a similar feldspar), and most of the rest is reddish-brown crystals of eudialite. In addition, there are many small crystals of other minerals, which I have not identified. Nestled in cavities in the eudialite are thousands of transparent honey-brown acicular crystals of raite which are large enough to sparkle brightly in sunlight. In the largest, most protected cavity, these crystals are organized as minute puffballs which appear a darker brown in the aggregate. It takes a bright point light source (such as direct sunlight) to readily identify all of the raite, and a loupe to truely appreciate the crystals.
rai-1 ($ 55.00)
Yubileinaya vein, Karnasurt Mine, Lovozero, RUssia
RAITE specimen rai-2
$ 42.00
$ 42.00
Dims: 1.26x1.61x0.67" (3.2x4.1x1.7cm)
Wt: 0.91oz. (25.7g)
Karnasurt mine, Lovozero, Russia
At one end of this specimen (the image is an end-on view), the surface is covered with fine acicular crystals of raite, largely in radial clumps. A loupe is needed to examine the raite, which is light brown in color, but the crystals are too small to determine luster and transparency. The rest of this specimen is a hodgepodge of minerals, certainly including red villiaumite crystals, possibly eduialite, and a large crystal of something black and/or green. I'm sure that even more minerals are present.
rai-2 ($ 42.00)
Karnasurt mine, Lovozero, Russia