Niobophyllite & Aegirine (Ref: 6357)

What a wonderful miniature-sized specimen with epitaxial grown thin-tabular, bronze-colored and lustrous crystals of the extremely rare Niobophyllite, a member of the Apophyllite group. It is associated very abundantly with jet-black Aegirine with a vitreous luster. The sharp Aegirine crystals, which have square cross-sections, are usually excellently terminated with typical frayed end faces. As bonus, small prismatic and grayish-clear crystals of the rare mineral CAYSYCHITE-(Y) have crystallized on the terminations of an Aegirine crystal. Niobophyllite specimens, especially aesthetic pieces like this, were only found in extremely small numbers throughout the entire mining period at Mount Malossa, and those few that were found were immediately ´taken out of circulation´ by those who knew rarity and value. As a result, good specimens are hard to find on the market these days. Ex Walter A. Weber collection.