Rutile with Hematite

specimen number:
2062668

location:
Ibitiara, Bahia, Brazil

description:
Classic for this locality, brilliant bronze colored needlelike crystals of rutile thick forming epitaxially over bright lustrous platy crystals of hematite. In great condition. Choice thumbnail. The specimen comes with a previous label from the collection of Ray DeMark. Collected in the 1980s.

The municipality of Ibitiara in Bahia, Brazil, is historically linked to the rich mineral deposits of the Chapada Diamantina region, where hydrothermal veins cutting through ancient sedimentary formations gave rise to exceptional mineral specimens. Among these, the area is internationally celebrated for epitaxial growth, specifically where acicular golden rutile crystals orient and grow directly upon lustrous, metallic black tabular hematite substrates. This precise structural alignment between the two mineral phases produces remarkable star-like and radiating spray formations that have made these specimens legendary among mineral collectors worldwide.

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