Home > Borate Minerals – April 22 > MS1797 Johachidolite

Johachidolite


Johachidolite is a calcium aluminum borate. The name comes from the Japanese (Jōhachidō) for its type locality in North Korea (Iwase & Saito, 1942). Crystal structure solution by Moore & Araki (1972) established the currently accepted formula of johachidolite, reaffirmed in Aristarain & Erd (1977) alongside a complete redefinition approved by the International Mineralogical Association. Amongst a parcel of Burmese gems examined in 1998, an exotic yellow 14 carat stone turned out be johachidolite. This Burmese stone represented a second world occurrence! The single stone remained a mystery, some doubting its natural occurrence, until additional finds in 2005-2007 recovered further material (Peretti et al., 2007).

Johachidolite here forms a two incomplete crystals, 1.5 × 0.9 cm and 1.1 × 0.8 cm, in matrix. The matrix consists of intergrown orthoclase, sodalite and phlogopite. Matrix pieces from this find are rare, and none seem to have completely terminated johadicholite. A top example.

Price: $450

Item code: MS1797

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