Elbaite with Muscovite

specimen number:
2063658

location:
Nevel Quarry, Newry, Oxford Co., Maine, USA

description:
Attractive example showing five lustrous green slightly translucent prismatic crystals of elbaite measuring to 5.0 cm in length embedded up on a muscovite matrix. The crystals do not really exhibit terminations, but the contrast between the elbaite and the sparkling silvery muscovite is quite nice. The specimen comes with a previous label from the collection of Ray DeMark. He acquired the piece through Ward's Natural Science Establishment around the year 1950.

The Nevel Quarry in Newry, Oxford County, Maine, is set within the rich Oxford pegmatite field, where complex granitic pegmatites intruded local metamorphic rocks during regional tectonic activity. Historically worked for industrial minerals like feldspar and lithium-bearing minerals during the mid twentieth century, the quarry became equally renowned among mineral collectors and museums for its diverse phosphate zones and exceptional cavity minerals. The site gained additional fame for discoveries of rare crystallized rose quartz and vibrant pegmatite specimens. Elbaite, a complex ring silicate of the tourmaline group, occurs within the quarry's core pockets and miarolitic cavities, often forming striking prismatic crystals valued for their remarkable clarity and vivid color variations ranging from rich greens to pinks.

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