Mineralpedia Details for Afghanite

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Afghanite

Named after the country in which it was discovered, Afghanistan, where it can be found at the type locality in Ladjuar Medam in the Badakhshan Province. Additional localities for Afghanite are located in Russia, Tajikistan, Italy, the United States, and Canada, among only a couple others. Afghanite occurs at the type locality in veinlets cutting lazurite, and in Italy in siliceous limestone xenoliths in pumice.

Ref. Handbook of Mineralogy, Anthony et al (1995) and MSA at http://www.handbookofmineralogy.org/pdfs/afghanite.pdf

Formula: Na₂₂Ca₁₀(Si₂₄Al₂₄)O₉₆(SO₄)₆Cl₆
Crystal System: Hexagonal
Crystal Habit: Massive
Cleavage: Perfect, None, None
Luster: Vitreous (Glassy)
Color: blue, colorless
Streak: white
Class: Hexagonal
Fracture: Conchoidal
Hardness: 5.5-6
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Afghanite from Kokcha Valley, Badakshan, Afghanistan

A gem quality, blue-green, 1.4cm prismatic crystal with multiple faces.

Crude crystal grains to 4mm in matrix.

A perfectly formed, translucent, gemmy, blue Afghanite crystal to 1cm partially set in Calcite matrix. This crystal has very well defined faces and a perfect terminated end exposed that shows the hexagonal outline.