Spodumene
 | LiAlSi2O9Spodumene is a silicate which contains lithium with composition LiAlSi2O9. This sample is about 35x45 cm and described as spodumene-bearing pegmatite. It is from Long Creek Church, Kings Mountain, North Carolina. These samples are on display at the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History. Spodumene is often found in pegmatites, and in fact accounts for one of the largest crystals on record. At the Etta Mine in South Dakota, a spodumene crystal was found which was 42 feet long, 5 feet in diameter and weighed 90 tons! |
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The spodumene gems at left are 0.7,0.4,0.2 and 0.7 carats and are from Stony Point, North Carolina. The mineral samples are from Hiddenite mine, Alexander County, North Carolina. All these samples are of the hiddenite variety. The longest sample is about 5cm. |
In order to maintain a relative scale, all the above spodumene gem images were patched from the same photograph. The two on the left are 163/9 and 77 carats and are from Nuristan, Afghanistan. The third is 287.8 carats and is from Minas Gerais, Brazil. The fourth and fifth are 60.7 and 170.6 carats and are from Pala, California. The sixth is 266.1 carats and is from Anjanabonoina, Madagascar. All the gems are of the variety kunzite of spodumene.
All of these large spodumene gems are from Minas Gerais, Brazil. They are of size 62.6, 75.2, 327.8 and 255.8 carats. The largest one is maybe 10 cm across!
 This large sample of spodumene is probably 18x35 cm and is from Afghanistan. It is formed with beryl and cookeite. |
 This sample of spodumene is of the variety kunzite from Nuristan, Afghanistan. It is probably 25cm high. |
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The sample of spodumene at left is about 12x25 cm and is from Brazil.  This spodumene gem is 880 carats and is from Brazil. |
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An example of spodumene's use in jewelry. |
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These spodumene crystals are from the Vandenberg mine in La Pala, California and Resplender mine, Minas Gerais, Brazil. The tallest one is about 20 cm tall. "Spodumene is found almost exclusively in pegmatites, where it can form enormous crystals - up to 14.6 m (48 ft) long! Manganese colors the pink gem variety, kunzite." |
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A sample of spodumene of the variety hiddenite. It is about 10 cm long and is from Hiddenite mine, Alexander County, North Carolina. |
Reference:
Geology.com, Pegmatite
Mindat: Spodumene
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