Bicolor sputnik aragonite, large
Bicolor sputnik aragonite, large
Locale: Morocco
Approx dimensions: 5.25 x 2.5"
Approx weight: 568g
This variety of aragonite clusters earns its trade name from the resemblance to the Sputnik satellite, with crystals protruding out in all directions. The bicolor variety grows crystals that are red-brown and a grayish-white color. This piece is long, formed of multiple rounded forms and flat on one side so it stands well for display. There are a lot of areas of broken crystals, including the flat breaks on the bottom. They reveal pretty distinct radial crystal patterns in red and white, showing some crystals change color as they grow.
Sputnik aragonite grows clusters of pseudo-hexagonal crystals radiating out from a central point. 'Pseudo-hexagonal' means the crystals that appear hexagonal are actually formed through crystal twinning. Multiple crystals have grown in rotational symmetry like the arms of a snowflake (as opposed to the mirrored symmetry of a parallel growth twin). This pseudo-hexagonal crystal habit is common in aragonite, and produces long barrel-shaped hexagonal crystals.