Hibonite

specimen number:
2063601

location:
Esiva, Maromby, Amboasary Sud, Anosy, Madagascar

description:
A mostly lustrous black mostly complete crystal of hibonite without matrix. This is in good condition. Very choice thumbnail specimen for the species. The specimen comes with a previous label from the collection of Ray DeMark.

Located in the Anosy region of southern Madagascar, the Esiva area near Maromby and Amboasary Sud is famous as the type locality for the rare mineral hibonite. Discovered in June 1953 by French prospector Paul Hibon, who sent initial samples to mineralogist Jean Behier, the mineral was later officially described and named in his honor. Geologically, the region features high-grade metamorphic rocks, including ancient skarns and metamorphosed limestone environments where rare-element interactions occurred under extreme temperature and pressure. Hibonite typically forms dark brown to black hexagonal crystals found primarily within eluvial deposits derived from these crystalline basement rocks. Because terrestrial gem-quality material is exceptionally scarce and restricted to only a few global occurrences—though the mineral is also famously known as an early-condensing phase in primitive meteorites—specimens recovered from the eluvials of Esiva remain highly prized by international mineral collectors and museums.

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