Description

This is an impressive cabinet specimen of alabandite, with sharp crystals up to 1.4 cm. The alabandite crystals are sharp and well defined, exhibiting spinel-law twinning. They have moderate metallic lustre. In excellent condition – it was very hard to find specimens with this quality, particularly in this size. As was the case for all of this material, the seams and crystal-lined openings were narrow, so contacting is common along edges of specimens and where seams pinched closed. However, this specimen has very little contacting, one that is lower right centre and low lustre, and a bit at spots along the back edge. In person, the crystals are a very dark grey metallic, not far off black – they look a bit lighter in the photographs.

The Uchucchacua alabandite finds date from 2008-2010, and this specimen came out in 2010 – I acquired it in Lima in 2011.

A great display specimen of alabandite.