Chondrodite with Spinel, Calcite

specimen number:
2354124

location:
An Phu, Luc Yen, Yen Bai, Vietnam

description:
Lustrous slightly translucent brown subhedral crystals of chondrodite measuring to 2.0 cm in size across the top of a white massive calcite matrix with several pinkish red octahedral crystals of spinel to 1.0 cm. In good condition and quite nice for the species. The specimen comes with a previous label from the collection of Eric Laskowski. Note that this label describes this material as to humite, but I believe this to be chondrodite.

Located within the Lo Gam tectonic zone of northern Vietnam, the An Phu area in the Luc Yen district is renowned for its complex metamorphic geology, which features extensive Proterozoic to Cambrian recrystallized marble units intimately associated with regional shear zones. Gemstone mining and exploration in this mountainous region intensified following major discoveries in 1987, transforming the local economy into a prominent hub for alluvial and primary extraction of high-value colored stones. Within these magnesium-rich marble host rocks and associated skarn environments, volatile-bearing silicate minerals such as chondrodite frequently crystallize alongside renowned deposits of ruby, spinel, and sapphire. Mineral collectors and miners routinely recover striking yellow, amber, and brown crystals of chondrodite from both weathered marble outcrops and secondary alluvial placers throughout the valleys.

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