• A piece of sputnik aragonite shaped like a chefs hat, with a flat base and bulging lumpy top. The piece is about half white and half red-brown. The piece has well-formed crystals somehat haphazardly arranged.
  • A detail of one end of the piece, showing a distinct divide in colors of crystal. An opaque white mineral speckles the surface and in-between crystals.
  • A closer view of the same side of the piece, showing the good division of color and that a small white mineral is sprinkles across the surface.
  • An irregularly shaped side of the piece, with haphazardly arranged crystals. There are some broken crystals and also some white overgrowth in areas.
  • The broken base of the crystal, a flat break showing the radial growth of the red and white aragonite crystals out from the center.
  • A detail view of the surface texture showing crystals oriented in different directions, and a patch of white overgrowth on the piece.
  • Detail view of a rounded portion of well-formed even white crystals, with more irregular crystals in red-brown in the foreground. White and red opaque mineral dots the surface and between crystals.
  • A detail view of the surface showing well-formed pseudo-hexagonal crystals, many flattened like a diamond shape. Half the crystals are white and half red, with distinct division of colors. There are some small white and red opaque minerals spotting the piece between crystals.
  • The piece on a mineral shelf, showing its relatively vibrant red-brown color and good luster. The piece is self-standing on the flat broken end.
  • Scale image of the piece on a measuring mat, measuring about three by two and a half inches.
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Bicolor sputnik aragonite, medium

Bicolor sputnik aragonite, medium

$20.00 USD
$20.00 USD
Sale Sold out
Shipping calculated at checkout.

Locale: Morocco

Approx dimensions: 3 x 2.5"

Approx weight: 288g

 

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 lumpy piece is half white and half red-brown, with well-formed crystals randomly arranged. One side of this piece has a clean break, which allows it to stand on its own for display. It is also interesting in its own right, exposing a radial pattern of red and white aragonite crystals growing out from a white center.

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.

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