Axinite Crystal with Quartz from Shigar Valley, Gilgit-Baltistan, Pakistan

Axinite crystal with minor quartz.

Size: 44 x 30 x 15 mm. 22 grams

Location: Shigar Valley, Gilgit-Baltistan, Pakistan

Axinite is a group of brown to violet minerals that belong to the sorosilicate class. They have a complex chemical composition that includes calcium, iron, manganese, magnesium, aluminum, boron and silicon. Axinite crystals are typically wedge-shaped or bladed, with a vitreous to resinous luster and a hardness of 6.5 to 7 on the Mohs scale. Axinite is found in metamorphic rocks that have been altered by contact with granite or other igneous intrusions.