Spodumene (577 grams) (doubly terminated)

Green, of all the colors of Afghani Spodumene, is probably the most difficult to obtain. Recently, I’ve seen these crystals marketed as "Hiddenite" which is NOT correct as true Hiddenite is Chromium-bearing and these crystals, despite the color similarity to Hiddenite are simply green Spodumene. Nonetheless, this is still an impressive gem crystal of a hard-to-find color from what is probably the most well-known locality in the world for Spodumene crystals.

This crystal is an unusual shade of green, with a slight yellowish overtone, very similar the Ukrainian Heliodor specimens I’ve seen from Volodarsk-Volynskii. The piece has good luster on the prism faces, and the clarity ranges from a milky “cat’s eye” internal appearance to nearly water-clear in areas. Additionally, the crystal is actually doubly terminated, and is not contacted, but rather recrystallized on the bottom making it essentially a floater crystal. It’s a hefty piece as well, weighing in at a noteworthy 577 grams. Great condition all the way around, with no serious damage that I can see. Very fairly priced for the size, gemminess and unique color. If you collect gem crystals, you know that green Spodumene crystals are rare, not just from Afghanistan, but worldwide.

Specimen # PAKAFG61334