Serandite

A lovely miniature featuring several parallel, layered prismatic crystals of serandite in soft salmon-pink to orange tones. The crystals show natural staggered growth, rising elegantly with no matrix. Lustre is generally subdued on the front, though the reverse reveals more gemmy, higher-lustre areas with a pleasing internal glow. Some minor bruising is present around the periphery, but overall the specimen retains a strong visual presence. Small amounts of associated black aegirine can also be observed.

Serandite from Mont Saint-Hilaire, Québec, is among the most sought after examples of the species, known for its rich colour and distinctive crystal habits. A manganese silicate of the wollastonite group, it is considered a rarity, particularly in well-formed prismatic crystals such as these. Mont Saint-Hilaire is one of the world’s most mineralogically diverse localities, though collecting is now prohibited, making older material increasingly scarce. A fine and representative example from this classic Canadian locality.