Merelani Alabandite, Wurtzite, and Rutile

Merelani continues to astound with superb, large Alabandite and Wurtzite.  Alabandite from Merelani was first identified in the summer of 2012 from a sample of an unknown black octahedral crystal associated with Diopside I sent to John Jaszczak for identification.  I am not aware of Alabandite having been found prior to 2013. It is possible that it has always been found but miners never recognized it as having value and therefore discarded it. However, Alabandite occurs with the other typical minerals at Merelani, so if it was encountered previously, it seems likely that at least some would have made it out to the collector market attached to other minerals, and it has not. Whatever the case, it is being found now and what is being found is superb for the species, another "World's Best" for Merelani in my opinion.

Similarly, Wurtzite was produced in 2013 in "World's Best" calibre.  Wurtzite has been found previously at Merelani, but very sporadically and, I think, in smaller crystals.  The first one I obtained and sold was back in 2010 (specimen AF724). It occurs as translucent red/orange hexagonal pyramids. Also included in this update is a single Rutile, which appear to be rare at Merelani as I have only seen four.


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TZ321 - Alabandite SOLD
 Merelani Hills, Arusha, Tanzania
miniature - 4 x 3 x 3 cm


(click on an image to enlarge)

Alabandite from Merelani Hills, Arusha, Tanzania [db_pics/pics/tz321a.jpg] Alabandite from Merelani Hills, Arusha, Tanzania [db_pics/pics/tz321b.jpg] Alabandite from Merelani Hills, Arusha, Tanzania [db_pics/pics/tz321c.jpg] Alabandite from Merelani Hills, Arusha, Tanzania [db_pics/pics/tz321d.jpg]

Single crystal with clean, smooth faces.

TZ344 - Alabandite SOLD
 Merelani Hills, Arusha, Tanzania
small cabinet - 9 x 6 x 4 cm


(click on an image to enlarge)

Alabandite from Merelani Hills, Arusha, Tanzania [db_pics/pics/tz344a.jpg] Alabandite from Merelani Hills, Arusha, Tanzania [db_pics/pics/tz344b.jpg] Alabandite from Merelani Hills, Arusha, Tanzania [db_pics/pics/tz344c.jpg] Alabandite from Merelani Hills, Arusha, Tanzania [db_pics/pics/tz344d.jpg]

Large single crystal with clean, smooth faces and some cavernous growth structures on one side. This is a HUGE crystal that not only has size but also fine quality.

TZ322 - Alabandite SOLD
 Merelani Hills, Arusha, Tanzania
miniature - 4.5 x 3.5 x 2 cm


(click on an image to enlarge)

Alabandite from Merelani Hills, Arusha, Tanzania [db_pics/pics/tz322a.jpg] Alabandite from Merelani Hills, Arusha, Tanzania [db_pics/pics/tz322b.jpg] Alabandite from Merelani Hills, Arusha, Tanzania [db_pics/pics/tz322c.jpg] Alabandite from Merelani Hills, Arusha, Tanzania [db_pics/pics/tz322d.jpg]

Single crystal with clean, smooth faces and some attached graphite on the backside.

TZ323 - Alabandite $ 950 SOLD
 Merelani Hills, Arusha, Tanzania
miniature - 4 x 3.5 x 3 cm


(click on an image to enlarge)

Alabandite from Merelani Hills, Arusha, Tanzania [db_pics/pics/tz323a.jpg] Alabandite from Merelani Hills, Arusha, Tanzania [db_pics/pics/tz323b.jpg] Alabandite from Merelani Hills, Arusha, Tanzania [db_pics/pics/tz323c.jpg]

Single crystal with clean, smooth faces. Well formed with attached Diopside, Graphite, and Tanzanite.

TZ345 - Alabandite $ 2500 SOLD
 Merelani Hills, Arusha, Tanzania
small cabinet - 5.5 x 5.5 x 4 cm


(click on an image to enlarge)

Alabandite from Merelani Hills, Arusha, Tanzania [db_pics/pics/tz345a.jpg] Alabandite from Merelani Hills, Arusha, Tanzania [db_pics/pics/tz345b.jpg] Alabandite from Merelani Hills, Arusha, Tanzania [db_pics/pics/tz345c.jpg] Alabandite from Merelani Hills, Arusha, Tanzania [db_pics/pics/tz345d.jpg]

Single crystal with clean, smooth faces on most of the crystal and more etched looking growth on other areas. A complete octahedral crystal with no points of contact and attached Diopside.

TZ324 - Alabandite SOLD
 Merelani Hills, Arusha, Tanzania
miniature - 3.2 x 2.5 x 2.5 cm


(click on an image to enlarge)

Alabandite from Merelani Hills, Arusha, Tanzania [db_pics/pics/tz324a.jpg] Alabandite from Merelani Hills, Arusha, Tanzania [db_pics/pics/tz324b.jpg] Alabandite from Merelani Hills, Arusha, Tanzania [db_pics/pics/tz324c.jpg] Alabandite from Merelani Hills, Arusha, Tanzania [db_pics/pics/tz324d.jpg]

Single crystal with clean, smooth faces.

TZ325 - Alabandite with Tanzanite SOLD
 Merelani Hills, Arusha, Tanzania
miniature - 4.6 x 4 x 2.5 cm


(click on an image to enlarge)

Alabandite with Tanzanite from Merelani Hills, Arusha, Tanzania [db_pics/pics/tz325a.jpg] Alabandite with Tanzanite from Merelani Hills, Arusha, Tanzania [db_pics/pics/tz325b.jpg] Alabandite with Tanzanite from Merelani Hills, Arusha, Tanzania [db_pics/pics/tz325c.jpg] Alabandite with Tanzanite from Merelani Hills, Arusha, Tanzania [db_pics/pics/tz325d.jpg]

Single crystal with clean, smooth faces. Backside has a partial crystal of gemmy Tanzanite attached. Besides the larger partial crystal, there is Graphite and numerous smaller, paler crystals which may be small Tanzanites or other species.

TZ327 - Alabandite SOLD
 Merelani Hills, Arusha, Tanzania
thumbnail - 2.6 x 2.2 x 1.5 cm


(click on an image to enlarge)

Alabandite from Merelani Hills, Arusha, Tanzania [db_pics/pics/tz327a.jpg] Alabandite from Merelani Hills, Arusha, Tanzania [db_pics/pics/tz327b.jpg] Alabandite from Merelani Hills, Arusha, Tanzania [db_pics/pics/tz327c.jpg]

Single crystal with clean, smooth faces. One of the cleanest looking crystals I've seen.

TZ329 - Alabandite SOLD
 Merelani Hills, Arusha, Tanzania
thumbnail - 3 x 2 x 2 cm


(click on an image to enlarge)

Alabandite from Merelani Hills, Arusha, Tanzania [db_pics/pics/tz329a.jpg] Alabandite from Merelani Hills, Arusha, Tanzania [db_pics/pics/tz329b.jpg] Alabandite from Merelani Hills, Arusha, Tanzania [db_pics/pics/tz329c.jpg]

Single crystal with clean, smooth faces with some pitting. The bevelled edges are unusual and give this one character.

TZ330 - Alabandite with Pyrite SOLD
 Merelani Hills, Arusha, Tanzania
miniature - 3.4 x 3.2 x 2.5 cm


(click on an image to enlarge)

Alabandite with Pyrite from Merelani Hills, Arusha, Tanzania [db_pics/pics/tz330a.jpg] Alabandite with Pyrite from Merelani Hills, Arusha, Tanzania [db_pics/pics/tz330b.jpg] Alabandite with Pyrite from Merelani Hills, Arusha, Tanzania [db_pics/pics/tz330c.jpg]

Single crystal with clean, smooth faces and partial crystals in Pyrite included.

TZ331 - Alabandite SOLD
 Merelani Hills, Arusha, Tanzania
thumbnail - 2 x 2 x 1.7 cm


(click on an image to enlarge)

Alabandite from Merelani Hills, Arusha, Tanzania [db_pics/pics/tz331a.jpg] Alabandite from Merelani Hills, Arusha, Tanzania [db_pics/pics/tz331b.jpg] Alabandite from Merelani Hills, Arusha, Tanzania [db_pics/pics/tz331c.jpg]

Small but high quality single crystal with clean, smooth faces.

TZ332 - Alabandite $ 650 SOLD
 Merelani Hills, Arusha, Tanzania
miniature - 3.3 x 2.5 x 2.2 cm


(click on an image to enlarge)

Alabandite from Merelani Hills, Arusha, Tanzania [db_pics/pics/tz332a.jpg] Alabandite from Merelani Hills, Arusha, Tanzania [db_pics/pics/tz332b.jpg] Alabandite from Merelani Hills, Arusha, Tanzania [db_pics/pics/tz332c.jpg]

Pair of crystals with clean, smooth faces on front half, with a distinct, sharp line where the backside turns to a etched looking growth pattern.

TZ335 - Wurtzite with Diopside $ 1650 SOLD
 Merelani Hills, Arusha, Tanzania
miniature - 4 x 3.8 x 1.5 cm


(click on an image to enlarge)

Wurtzite with Diopside from Merelani Hills, Arusha, Tanzania [db_pics/pics/tz335a.jpg] Wurtzite with Diopside from Merelani Hills, Arusha, Tanzania [db_pics/pics/tz335b.jpg] Wurtzite with Diopside from Merelani Hills, Arusha, Tanzania [db_pics/pics/tz335c.jpg] Wurtzite with Diopside from Merelani Hills, Arusha, Tanzania [db_pics/pics/tz335d.jpg]

Translucent red/orange Wurtzite crystal with attached green Diopside and interesting growth features on front face. One photo is backit to highlight the excellent translucency.

TZ336 - Wurtzite $ 450 SOLD
 Merelani Hills, Arusha, Tanzania
thumbnail - 2 x 2 x 2 cm


(click on an image to enlarge)

Wurtzite from Merelani Hills, Arusha, Tanzania [db_pics/pics/tz336a.jpg] Wurtzite from Merelani Hills, Arusha, Tanzania [db_pics/pics/tz336b.jpg] Wurtzite from Merelani Hills, Arusha, Tanzania [db_pics/pics/tz336c.jpg]

Translucent red/orange Wurtzite crystal.

TZ339 - Wurtzite $ 90 SOLD
 Merelani Hills, Arusha, Tanzania
thumbnail - 1.2 x 0.8 x 0.5 cm


(click on an image to enlarge)

Wurtzite from Merelani Hills, Arusha, Tanzania [db_pics/pics/tz339a.jpg] Wurtzite from Merelani Hills, Arusha, Tanzania [db_pics/pics/tz339b.jpg]

Translucent red/orange Wurtzite crystal. Backside has two grooves.
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