Y1623 Phenacite
Ambatomalaza, Ibity Area, Vakinankaratra Region, Madagascar
4.8x 2.8x 1.9 cm
$395
This piece was purchased in Madagascar, though was not posted with the main trip update because I wasn't quite sure what it was. As it turns out, some of the material was available in Tucson as well--it had been tested and the result was phenacite.
Looking at this piece, that may seem fairly obvious-- this is one of the better examples from the find. The majority of the crystals were somewhat smaller, and less elongated-- to the point that they looked like dodecahedrons. In fact, the folks in Madagascar were selling them as rhodizite-- and I thought the same until speaking to another dealer in Tucson.
This is from a recently discovered locality.
