MARSHITE

Rubtsovskiy Mine, Altaiskiy Krai, West Siberia, Russia, Asia

Available


3 x 2.3 x 1.8 cm (Miniature)


Marshite is a very rare Copper Iodide (CuI) with a distinctive (but not disagreeable) disinfectant like smell (close up). The crystals start out colourless or yellow, and turn pinkish to brownish red with sunlight. This specimen displays sharp octahedral reddish coloured Marshite crystals to 8mm suggesting either a high copper content in the Marshite; or that the Marshite is replacing Cuprite octahedrons, or exposure to sunlight (however this specimen was found very recently, so this is the least likely explanation).  A well balanced specimen of sharp crystallisation nevertheless.

Kristalle and Crystal Classics