Titanite on Rutile after Ilmenite with Albite

specimen number:
2341398

location:
Tasrafet, Imilchil, Midelt, Draa-Tafilalet, Morocco

description:
Platy crystals of what were once ilmenite measuring to almost 2.0 cm in size standing up across the top of a white blocky albite crystal matrix. These are completely replaced by dark red needlelike crystals of rutile, and then completely coated by glassy lustrous crystals of yellow green titanite to 0.6 cm in size. In great condition. From 2016, this neat specimen comes with a previous label from the collection of Jan Erik Larsen.

Located in the high Atlas Mountains region of Morocco, the area around Tasrafet, Imilchil, and Midelt features complex geological settings characterized by Alpine-age tectonic activity, hydrothermal veins, and pockets hosted within metamorphic and igneous rocks. Local artisanal miners and independent prospectors meticulously extract exceptional mineral specimens from these mountain cavities, transforming the region into a globally renowned destination for collectors seeking rare crystal associations. Among the fascinating finds from this region are pseudomorph specimens, where one mineral completely or partially replaces another while preserving the original external crystal form. A prime example is rutile after ilmenite, in which platy or tabular crystals of an iron-titanium mineral are altered or replaced by needle-like or aggregate networks of a titanium oxide phase during metamorphic or hydrothermal evolution, retaining the original geometric shape despite the complete chemical transformation.

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