Mineral Specimens frmo Pakistan- Crystals, Aquamarine, Anatase, Dravite, Apatite. Afghsnistan and more!

I traveled to Peshawar, Pakistan in late October/November to buy specimens. Here is some of what I brought back; I'll also be posting a trip report on Mindat later on. If you are wondering, the atmosphere there is tense, particularly in Peshawar. Despite that, please remember that Pakistan is a fully functioning country with over 166 million people (Peshawar alone has nearly 1.5 million) of which there are only a few bad apples. Extra care did have to be taken, and there are always scary stories about bombs and kidnappings, but the scariest things I personally came in contact with were the mineral prices and the massive amounts of cholesterol from all the mutton I ate....

A note about the localities: I am labeling them using the pre-2010 place names to avoid confusion. In 2010 the new government changed the names of some of the districts and provinces in the area-- I don't know why they did this because the country has enough problems already, and the ethnic non-neutral names they chose have only created more issues (such as massive protests....)

As an example, the Northwest Frontier Province (NWFP) is now "Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa" (favoring ethnic Pashtuns), and the Northern Areas are now "Gilgit-Baltistan" (favoring ethnic Baltis).

What does this mean for us? Nothing, except now you have to decide whether or not you want to update your collection records......

KP01 Beryl var. Aquamarine, Muscovite

Chumar Bakhoor, Nagar Valley, Northern Areas, Pakistan

11.2x 8.8x 7.9 cm

$3600

A beautiful cabinet specimen of what is probably among the most iconic of Pakistani mineral associations. These days most of the aquas on the market are coming from various localities in Skardu, but these will always be classics. For many, hearing the words "Pakistani aquamarine" brings up images of these aqua/muscovite combinations.

I have seen and handled many of these over the years, and by now I have a good idea of what constitutes a good one. The important qualities are:

Sharpness of muscovite- inferior specimens will have muscovites with rounded or frayed edges. Color and transparency- the majority are milky or colorless, and some suffer form internal iron oxide staining that cannot be removed. And finally, crystal position, damage, and overall beauty (criteria that apply to any specimen).

This specimen does well in all respects, boasting sharp muscovites, decent blue color and transparency that is pretty good for Chumar Bakhhoor. I saw a number of these in the market, but this was definitely among the nicest available from those that I saw, all things considered.

This is a crisp and elegant specimen, way above the average.

KP02 Beryl var. Aquamarine

Shigar Valley, Skardu, Pakistan

10.0x 8.8x 6.3 cm

$1380

A beautiful cabinet specimen featuring a terminated aquamarine on a matrix composed of multiple albite crystals. The crystal has good color and a slightly frosted texture, and spans the length of the specimen

KP03 Beryl var. Aquamarine

Chamachu, Skardu, Northern Areas, Pakistan

12.0x 9.8x 9.8 cm

$2400

A beautiful cabinet specimen with two terminated, gemmy aquamarine crystals on matrix. Both crystals have lightly etched surfaces, and a light blue color.

The main crystal stands straight out of its matrix, finding a specimen where the crystals are positioned like this is not as easy as you might think: mining involves lots of dynamite, so more often than not the crystals wind up separated from their matrix...

This is the best piece from the pocket.

KP04 Beryl var. Aquamarine

NWFP, Pakistan
6.2x 3.6x 2.5 cm

A beautiful blue specimen of aquamarine that has been completely etched to give it a jagged appearance.

I left this on the hotel bed when I was wrapping specimens at the end of the day... and accidentally laid down on it. It IS as painful as it looks.

But it's ok, the specimen was not damaged.

KP05 Beryl var. Aquamarine

NWFP, Pakistan
4.7x 3.4x 3.1 cm

A nice miniature specimen, with several lightly colored, terminated aquamarines on matrix.

KP06 Scheelite

Gharmung Area, Skardu, Northern Areas, Pakistan
8.8x 8.0x 4.2 cm

It seems that virtually all the scheelite for sale these days is from China, with occasional specimens from S. Korea or Romania. Pakistan has been known for years to have scheelite, only the specimens are never available. Approximately two years ago there was a find offered primarily through one dealership, but I haven’t seen any of these for sale since then.

I chanced upon a small group of these in Peshawar. The color of scheelites from this locality is on par with the best from China, having a nice reddish hue. The crystals tend to be more elongated and have quartz matrixes, rather than the typical muscovite or albite from Mt. Xuebaoding.

KP07 Scheelite

Gharmung Area, Skardu, Northern Areas, Pakistan
4.5x 3.2x 2.6 cm

$485

I chanced upon a small group of these in Peshawar. The color of scheelites from this locality is on par with the best from China, having a nice reddish hue. The crystals tend to have quartz matrixes, rather than the typical muscovite or albite from Mt. Xuebaoding.

KP08 Scheelite

Gharmung Area, Skardu, Northern Areas, Pakistan
4.8x 4.1x 2.0 cm

I chanced upon a small group of these in Peshawar. The color of scheelites from this locality is on par with the best from China, having a nice reddish hue. The crystals tend have quartz matrixes, rather than the typical muscovite or albite from Mt. Xuebaoding.

KP09 Scheelite

Gharmung Area, Skardu, Northern Areas, Pakistan
3.2x 2.6x 1.7 cm

$285

For all the TN collectors out there: this is more of a toenail, but it will fit in a perky box...

KP10 Apatite

Paroon, Darrah Pech, Kunar Province, Afghanistan
7.2x 6.4x 5.1 cm

$400

Several light purple, hexagonal fluorapatite crystals on matrix from Afghanistan. This province has seen some of the heaviest fighting over the last 2 years, but the minerals still come out.

KP11 Apatite

Paroon, Darrah Pech, Kunar Province, Afghanistan
6.7x 4.1x 3.3 cm

$285

Several light purple, hexagonal fluorapatite crystals on matrix from Afghanistan. The crystals appear to have been lightly oiled.

This province has seen some of the heaviest fighting over the last 2 years, but the minerals still come out.

KP12 Apatite

Paroon, Darrah Pech, Kunar Province, Afghanistan
2.7x 2.2x 1.7 cm

$235

A really nice thumbnail of this material, with several light purple, hexagonal fluorapatite crystals perched on a quartz crystal.

This province has seen some of the heaviest fighting over the last 2 years, but the minerals still come out.

KP13 Apatite

Paroon, Darrah Pech, Kunar Province, Afghanistan
8.7x 6.9x 5.8 cm

$195

Light purple, hexagonal fluorapatite crystals in a vug, from Afghanistan. The main crystal measures 1.4 cm.

This province has seen some of the heaviest fighting over the last 2 years, but the minerals still come out.

KP14 Apatite

Paroon, Darrah Pech, Kunar Province, Afghanistan
8.4x 7.1x 5.5 cm

$175

Multiple light purple, hexagonal fluorapatite crystals in a vug, from Afghanistan.

This province has seen some of the heaviest fighting over the last 2 years, but the minerals still come out.

KP15 Garnet var. Spessartine

Shengus, Skardu, Northern Areas, Pakistan
3.5x 2.1x 2.4 cm

$145

A couple deep red garnets perched on the end of an albite matrix.

This is a great miniature/ toenail, and an example classic Pakistani material.

KP16 Garnet var. Spessartine

Shengus, Skardu, Northern Areas, Pakistan
2.7x 2.1x 1.8 cm

$135

A single, deep red garnet perched on a muscovite book. There is a natural crack running through the crystal, but it is not repaired or broken.

This is a nice thumbnail, and an example classic Pakistani material.

KP17 Garnet var. Spessartine

Shengus, Skardu, Northern Areas, Pakistan
3.7x 2.5x 2.1 cm

$135

Several deep red garnets on an albite matrix.

This is a great miniature, and an example classic Pakistani material.

KP18 Corundum var. Sapphire

Azrat Syed, Badakhshan, Afghanistan
8.8x 5.5x 5.7 cm

$1200

New Find!

A large sapphire crystal with nice blue zones, on a muscovite matrix. Apart from the Jagdalek rubies, I have not seen much in the way of corundum from Afghanistan, and certainly no sapphire specimens.

There are no images of anything other than Afghan rubies pictured on Mindat, so I take it as a sign (combined with my not having seen anything at shows) that this is something reasonably new...

This was about 4 times its current size when I purchased it.... but I spent some time on it and got it down to a nicer size.

This was the best piece from the lot, with the largest crystal.

KP19 Corundum var. Sapphire

Azrat Syed, Badakhshan, Afghanistan
7.2x 5.6x 2.6 cm

$350

New Find!

There are no images of anything other than Afghan rubies pictured on Mindat, so I take it as a sign (combined with my not having seen anything at shows) that this is something reasonably new...

Sawed on the reverse.

KP20 Corundum var. Sapphire

Azrat Syed, Badakhshan, Afghanistan
4.0x 4.0x 2.6 cm

$200

New Find!

A very sharp sapphire crystal with nice blue zones, on a muscovite matrix. Apart from the Jagdalek rubies, I have not seen much in the way of corundum from Afghanistan, and certainly no sapphire specimens.

There are no images of anything other than Afghan rubies pictured on Mindat, so I take it as a sign (combined with my not having seen anything at shows) that this is something reasonably new...

KP21 Garnet var. Hessonite

Mana Mine, Barang-Turghao, Bajaur Agency, Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA), Pakistan
3.0x 2.5x 1.4 cm

$90

A nice toenail from a recent find in Bajaur, showing excellent color. As you can see from the bottom image, the piece can only be displayed from the front.

The Bajaur Agency is across the border from Kunar, and for the last year and a half has been a focus of the war on terror. One dealer I met in Peshawar is from Bajaur, and he related how Pakistani soldiers had on multiple occasions pushed Taliban suspects out of airborne helicopters.

That obviously has nothing to do with this specimen, but it's something not many people hear, and I figured the more the better.

KP22 Garnet var. Hessonite

Mana Mine, Barang-Turghao, Bajaur Agency, Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA), Pakistan
2.0x 1.5x 1.5 cm

$100

A nice toenail from a recent find in Bajaur, showing excellent color. The main crystal is complete, and perched on another crystal. Complete crystals are notoriously difficult to find...

That obviously has nothing to do with this specimen, but it's something not many people hear, and I figured the more the better.

KP23 Lazurite

Sar-e-Sang, Badakhshan, Afghanistan
8.2x 6.3x 4.2 cm

$500

A cabinet specimen with 2 lazurite crystals on matrix. The entire piece has a rather sculptural appearance, and there are other crystals embedded in the matrix.

There are some saw marks on the matrix, but that is not unusual for this material. In this case, combined with the embedded crystals, I would say that they add to the sculptural quality of the specimen.

The mines at Sar-e-Sang have been producing for over 6,000 years. They supplied the lapis that adorns King Tutankhamen’s famous burial mask, as well as various Greek and Roman artifacts. Although a lot of lapidary grade lazurite now comes from Chile, crystals of this size and quality have only come from Afghanistan.

KP24 Lazurite

Sar-e-Sang, Badakhshan, Afghanistan
7.5x 6.8x 3.8 cm

A rather large (3 cm) and exceptionally well exposed lazurite crystal on a marble matrix.

This and all the other pieces on this page have not been cleaned with acid-- that tends to eat away at the lazurite and leave rough, whitish surfaces... unfortunately many of the specimens I have seen in Tucson suffer from those problems.

KP25 Lazurite

Sar-e-Sang, Badakhshan, Afghanistan
5.0x 4.8x 3.2 cm

$290

A very well exposed lazurite crystal positioned aesthetically on a marble matrix,

This and all the other pieces on this page have not been cleaned with acid-- that tends to eat away at the lazurite and leave rough, whitish surfaces... unfrtunately many of the specimens I have seen in Tucson suffer from those problems.

KP26 Lazurite

Sar-e-Sang, Badakhshan, Afghanistan
5.2x 3.4x 1.7 cm

$195

A sharp and very well exposed lazurite crystal positioned aesthetically on a marble matrix,

KP27 Tourmaline var. Dravite

Kokcha Valley, Badakhshan, Afghanistan
6.4x 5.2x 5.1 cm

$550

New Find!

Of the approximately 10 specimens I saw from this find, most had crystals that were somewhat buried in the mica matrix or which were incomplete. I purchased the best two, this is the larger one.

This is a from new find of blue-green tourmaline. I am guessing it’s dravite from the color and shape—the crystals are very short, nearly tabular prisms.

KP28 Tourmaline var. Dravite

Kokcha Valley, Badakhshan, Afghanistan
3.4x 3.1x 3.1 cm

$235

New Find!

Of the approximately 10 specimens I saw from this find, most had crystals that were somewhat buried in the mica matrix or were incomplete. I purchased the best two, this is the smaller one.

This is from new find of blue tourmaline I am guessing it’s dravite from the color and shape—the crystals are very short, nearly tabular prisms.

KP29 Anatase

Kharran, Baluchistan, Pakistan
9.6x 2.8x 1.7 cm

$600

I purchased some anatase when I was in Pakistan last time, but this time the quality was much better. Here is one of these newer specimens, with multiple crystals to .9 cm perched on their matrix.

This piece is one of my favorites of the anatases I bought.

KP30 Anatase

Kharran, Baluchistan, Pakistan
4.8x 4.0x 2.6 cm

A single, double terminated, and very large (1.6 cm) anatase crystal perched on the top edge of its matrix.

Unlike the earlier specimens which had white matrixes, this piece has not been acid washed, leaving the matrix with its original green colored matrix.

KP31 Anatase

Kharran, Baluchistan, Pakistan

4.1x 3.0x 1.8 cm

$250

An excellent miniature specimen, with multiple lustrous and double terminated anatase crystals on matrix.

KP33 Anatase

Kharran, Baluchistan, Pakistan

2.4x 2.3x 2.3 cm

$185

A very nice thumbnail, with a large (for the locality), lustrous, and double terminated anatase crystal on matrix.

KP34 Magnetite on Chrome Diopside

Marki Khel, Khogyani, Nangarhar Prov., Afghanistan
3.5x 1.1x 1.1 cm

$100

Pieces like this are the reason I like smaller specimens. You would never find an interesting configuration like this in a cabinet sized piece.

This specimen consists of a couple magnetite octahedrons perched on top of a cluster of chrome diopside crystals.

As an interesting side note, the Khogyani District is now one of Afghanistan's richest opium poppy producers, and at one point the governor of Nangarhar province was receiving an estimated USD 1 million per week in drug kickbacks....

For all the TN collectors out there: this is more of a toenail, but it will fit in a perky box...

KP35 Garnet var. Andradite

Marki Khel, Khogyani, Nangarhar Prov., Afghanistan
2.6x 2.5x 2.0 cm

$85

A nice thumbnail specimen of this material, with two large and complete andradite garnets perched on an epidote crystal and other smaller garnets.

KP36 Garnet var. Andradite

Marki Khel, Khogyani, Nangarhar Prov., Afghanistan
2.6x 2.3x 1.3 cm

$78

A nice thumbnail specimen of this material, with a large and complete andradite garnet perched on a sliver of matrix.

As an interesting side note, the Khogyani District is now one of Afghanistan's richest opium poppy producers, and at one point the governor of Nangarhar Province was receiving an estimated USD 1 million per week in drug kickbacks....

KP37 Quartz incl. "Mountain Leather"

NWFP, Pakistan
4.7x 1.6x 1.2 cm

Whenever I post a quartz crystal, I always mention that as a general rule I don't buy quartz unless there is something particularly interesting about it...

This quartz crystal is double terminated, and is included by a sheet of mountain leather that looks as if it has been pulled through the crystal. The interesting part is that you can see the ends of a secondary quartz crystal at both ends of the "mountain leather" inclusion, making it appear as if the second quartz crystal was used to push the leather through the main one...

KP40 Wulfenite

Sandiq Copper mine, Sandiq, Chagai District, Balochistan, Pakistan
6.5x 5.0x 3.0 cm

The last of 3 non-typical Pakistani specimens on this page, a wulfenite from the new find in Baluchistan. There is a single 0.7 cm crystal on the matrix, unfortunately the crystals from this find don't get much bigger than this...