Madagascar under $100

A selection of minerals from Madagascar, at what I would consider to be pretty good prices.

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DMAD01 Andradite Garnet var Demantoid
Antetezambato, Ambanja Dist., Diana Region, Antsiranana Prov., Madagascar
8.5x 6.5x 5.6 cm
$350

A beautiful cabinet sized specimen of green andradite garnet on matrix, from the famous mangrove swamp find at the northern tip of Madagascar.  

The story varies, but the most common one holds that the initial discovery was made by a couple fishermen who noticed some small green rocks in a tidal mangrove swamp sometime around 2009.  Whatever the case, the find quickly led to thousands of people rushing to the swamp, hoping to strike it rich.  Workings would have to be abandoned daily when the tide came in, only to resume once the water left again.  Needless to say, the mangroves were ruined. 

Please note, the color will vary with light-- best in sunlight and light bulbs that mimic it, and progressively worse under fluorescent and incandescent lighting. 







DMAD02 Liddicoatite Tourmaline with Quartz
Mt. Ibity, Antsirabe 2 Dist., Vakinankaratra Region, Antananarivo Prov., Madagascar
8.2x 5.6x 4.1 cm
$110

A nice example of liddicoatite tourmaline with smoky quartz and albite, from Mt. Ibity.  Not 100% perfect but like most things in this update, it's a very good reference for the price.  









DMAD03 Grandidierite
Tranomaro Commune, Amboasary District, Anosy Region, Tuléar Province, Madagascar
6.4x 3.3x 2.8 cm
$110

A nice reference sample of the very rare mineral grandidierite, with a partial prism on matrix, showing decent faces.  Again, this isn't a fine specimen by any means, but a damn good reference for the price.









DMAD04 Phenacite
Ambatomalaza, Ibity Area, Vakinankaratra Region, Madagascar
3.5x 2.6x 3.0 cm
$75

A nice sample of phenacite on magnetite, from a discovery made about 2 years ago.  At first the lack of elongation on most of the crystals made them seem almost dodecahedral-- like rhodizite, but subsequent testing revealed them to be phenacite.







DMAD05 Quartz incl. Chlorite
Mahaiza Area, Vakinankaratra Region, Antananarivo Province, Madagascar
5.9x 2.7x 2.0 cm
$68

A beautiful example of chlorite included quartz, with multiple phantoms and a light green color.







DMAD06 Liddicoatite Tourmaline
Mt. Ibity, Antsirabe 2 Dist., Vakinankaratra Region, Antananarivo Prov., Madagascar
2.0x 1.85x 1.25 cm
$48

A beautiful little liddicoatite crystal on a bit of albite, from Mt. Ibity.







DMAD07 Liddicoatite Tourmaline
Manapa pegmatite Field, Betafo District, Vakinankaratra Region, Antananarivo Province, Madagascar
4.6x 2.8x 3.8 cm
$96

A very nice example of the very distinctive purplish pink tourmaline that is characteristic of liddicoatites from this pegmatite.  You often see them embedded in the matrixes of rhodizite samples from the same location-- freestanding, terminated crystals are a bit harder to find.  









DMAD08 Liddicoatite Tourmaline
Manapa pegmatite Field, Betafo District, Vakinankaratra Region, Antananarivo Province, Madagascar
7.5x 4.5x 3.5 cm
$110

A nice example of the very distinctive purplish pink tourmaline that is characteristic of liddicoatites from this pegmatite.  You often see them embedded in the matrixes of rhodizite samples from the same location-- freestanding, terminated crystals are a bit harder to find.  







DMAD09 Liddicoatite Tourmaline
Manapa pegmatite Field, Betafo District, Vakinankaratra Region, Antananarivo Province, Madagascar
2.8x 1.95x 1.4 cm
$48

A nice example of the purplish-pink liddicoatite tourmaline that is characteristic of this pegmatite.  They are often seen included in the matrixes of rhodizite samples from the same area, but to see decent examples of the tourmalines alone is a bit more unusual.







DMAD10 Rhodizite-Londonite
Antsongombato, Betafo Region, Madagascar
3.7x 2.2x 2.0 cm
$85

A very large, though not entirely complete crystal of rhodizite-londonite from Madagascar.  It displays reasonably well from a couple particular angles, but again, it is not entirely complete.  Quite large and with good faces, and again, like most things in this update the price is pretty good for what it is.









DMAD11 Quartz (Japan Law Twin)
Mahaiza Area, Vakinankaratra Region, Antananarivo Province, Madagascar
5.1x 3.8x 0.9 cm
$74

A nice sample of a Japanese law twined quartz from Mahaiza-- this place produces most of the orange "hematoid" quartz and the crystals with green chlorite inclusions, though unlike other locations, Japan law twins are particularly rare from here.  Not 100% perfect, but a good reference for the price.







DMAD12 Quartz on Muscovite
Mt. Ibity, Antsirabe 2 Dist., Vakinankaratra Region, Antananarivo Prov., Madagascar
5.4x 3.9x 2.2 cm
$40

A nice example of quartz with muscovite, from Madagascar.  This sort of thing is super common from Brazil, though a bit less often seen from Madagascar.  Nice reference.







DMAD12A Andradite Garnet var Demantoid
Antetezambato, Ambanja Dist., Diana Region, Antsiranana Prov., Madagascar
8.7x 5.7x 5.0 cm
$72

A nice reference sample of demantoid garnet, from the famous find in the mangrove swamp at the northern tip of Madagascar.  The matrix is actually more garnet, although it looks sedimentary.







DMAD13 Rhodizite-Londonite
antsongombato, Betafo Region, Madagascar
6.4x 4.4x 2.2 cm
$78

A nice sample of rhodizite-londonite on matrix, with two lustrous crystals present on a single piece of host rock.









DMAD14 Beryl var. Morganite
Anjanabonoina pegmatites, Ambohimanambola Commune, Betafo District, Vakinankaratra Region, Antananarivo Province, Madagascar
3.7x 3.3x 2.6 cm
$68

Morganite is often seen from Madagascar as finished stones, but rarely as crystals.  This one has almost no transparency, but it does retain good form.  A good reference piece.







DMAD15 Struverite
Ialamitana, Antsirabe 2 District, Vakinankaratra Region, Antananarivo Prov., Madagascar
3.9x 3.7x 2.9 cm
$68

A quite substantial, though unterminated prism of struverite in matrix from Madagascar. Struverite is the iron, tantalum rich variety of rutile.  They usually don't make it to this size from this locality, but because it lacks a termination it's being offered as a cheap reference specimen. 







DMAD16 Liddicoatite Tourmaline with Quartz
mt. Ibity, Antsirabe 2 Dist., Vakinankaratra Region, Antananarivo Prov., Madagascar
5.8x 3.7x 4.3 cm
$84

A nice example of liddicoatite tourmaline (that is dark greenish when backlit) and smoky quartz from Mt. Ibity.









DMAD17 Phenacite
Anjanabonoina pegmatites, Ambohimanambola Commune, Betafo District, Vakinankaratra Region, Antananarivo Province, Madagascar
1.8x 1.15x 0.9 cm
$55

A nice example of phenacite from Anjanabonoina, the locality best known for producing the material that makes the best Malagasy tourmaline slices.  This one appears to have spent some time  tumbling down a stream, but it still retains most of its form.







DMAD18 Phenacite
Ananabonoina pegmatites, Ambohimanambola Commune, Betafo District, Vakinankaratra Region, Antananarivo Province, Madagascar
2x 0.55x 0.5 cm
$28

A nice little phenacite crystal from Anjanabonoina, the locality best known for producing the material that makes the best Malagasy tourmaline slices.  









DMAD19 Euxenite
Ambatofotsikely pegmatite, Fidirana Commune, Betafo Dist., Vakinankaratra Region, Antananarivo Prov., Madagascar
2.4x 1.7x 1.0 cm
$56

A set of two euxenite thumbnails from the Ambatofotsikely pegmatite.  The yellowish coating is a mixture of various rare earth secondaries.







DMAD20 Liddicoatite Tourmaline
Mt. Ibity, Antsirabe 2 Dist., Vakinankaratra Region, Antananarivo Prov., Madagascar
3.2x 2.7x 1.5 cm
$44

A nice little "toenail" sized sample of pink liddicoatite tourmaline on nicely contrasting white albite.  The tourmalines may be small, but the color is extremely vivid-- hardly anything from California or even Russia even begins to approach it.









DMAD21 Liddicoatite Tourmaline
Mt. Ibity, Antsirabe 2 Dist., Vakinankaratra Region, Antananarivo Prov., Madagascar
6.1x 5.1x 2.4 cm
$86

A terminated liddicoatite tourmaline crystal on a matrix of mostly quartz.  The color looks dark gray in person, but with strong lighting, you can see a bit of dark green.  







DMAD22 Liddicoatite Tourmaline
Mt. Ibity, Antsirabe 2 Dist., Vakinankaratra Region, Antananarivo Prov., Madagascar
3.0x 1.35x 1.4 cm
$44

A nice thumbnail sized sample with a small liddcoatite crystal on a smoky quartz.  Not large, but cute.







DMAD23 Monazite
Ambatofotsikely pegmatite, Fidirana Commune, Betafo Dist., Vakinankaratra Region, Antananarivo Prov., Madagascar
4.5x 2.8x 1.45 cm
$76

A decent monazite crystal from Ambatofotsikely.  This one shows good faces and decent overall form.

***If you are a researcher looking for more monazite, send me an e-mail.  I brought back a decent amount of this single crystal material and have quite a bit more that is not posted***









DMAD24 Monazite
Ambatofotsikely pegmatite, Fidirana Commune, Betafo Dist., Vakinankaratra Region, Antananarivo Prov., Madagascar
3.2x 2.2x 0.8 cm
$44

A nice monazite crystal from Ambatofotsikely.  This one shows good faces and decent overall form.

***If you are a researcher looking for more monazite, send me an e-mail.  I brought back a decent amount of this single crystal material and have quite a bit more that is not posted***







DMAD25 Monazite
3.4x 3.1x 1.1 cm
$66

A decent monazite crystal from Ambatofotsikely.  This one shows good faces and decent overall form.

***If you are a researcher looking for more monazite, send me an e-mail.  I brought back a decent amount of this single crystal material and have quite a bit more that is not posted***







DMAD26 Manandonite
Antandrokomby pegmatite, Manandona Valley, Sahatany Pegmatite Field, Vakinankaratra Region, Antananarivo Province, Madagascar
5.3x 2.9x 4.0 cm
$46

This wonderfully lackluster specimen is a rare sample of manandonite, a rare lithium aluminum phyllosilicate known from only two localities world wide (this is from the type locality.)







DMAD27 Lepidolite
Mt. Ibity, Antsirabe 2 Dist., Vakinankaratra Region, Antananarivo Prov., Madagascar.
3.4x 3.1x 2.6 cm
$58

A nice pair of intersecting lepidolite books-- this mineral is usually an uninteresting accessory or matrix for tourmalines from Afghanistan or California, but this pair of stacked crystals are quite large, distinct, and well formed.  Once again, a good reference of more unusual, yet less flashy Malagasy material.







DMAD28 Grandidierite
Tranomaro Commune, Amboasary District, Anosy Region, Tuléar Province, Madagascar
2.7x 1.2x 1.0 cm
$84

A nice prism of very rare grandidierite from the recent find.  This one is not terminated, though has good faces.  This is considered "cabochon grade" rough because of the lighter color and slightly better translucency, though because it has good faces it would also make a good reference sample.







DMAD29 Grandidierite
Tranomaro Commune, Amboasary District, Anosy Region, Tuléar Province, Madagascar
3.2x 1.7x 1.1 cm
$78

A nice prism of very rare grandidierite from the recent find.  This one is not terminated, though has some faces and makes fro a decent reference.









DMAD30 Spodumene
Mt. Ibity, Antsirabe 2 Dist., Vakinankaratra Region, Antananarivo Prov., Madagascar.
5.1x 2.8x 1.85 cm
$58

A complete, though etched floater crystal of colorless spodumene from Madagascar.  Not the most common stuff from Madagascar, you are much more likely to see this sort of thing from Brazil or Afghanistan.  Interesting reference piece.







DMAD31 Spodumene var. Hidenite
Sahatany Valley, Antsirabe 2 Dist., Vakinankaratra Region, Antananarivo Prov., Madagascar.
5.1x 3.6x 2.5 cm
$140

An etched crystal of bicolored spodumene from Madagascar-- one half is a light green, the other is nearly colorless. Interesting material for Madagascar, you would typically expect this sort of thing to be Afghan.







DMAD32 Topaz
Vakinankaratra Region, Madagascar
5.5x 2.7x 1.9 cm
$72

A nice example of etched topaz from Madagascar.  The country produces virtually every gemstone except diamond, yet for some reason topaz has always been something of a rarity from the island.  This is a decent reference example.









DMAD33 Beryl var. Morganite
Vakinankaratra Region, Madagascar
4.3x 1.1x 0.8 cm
$58

A very light yellow beryl crystal with etched surfaces.  









DMAD34 Epidote
Vakinankaratra Region, Madagascar
4.5x 1.7x 1.0 cm
$46

A terminated crystal of green epidote form Madagascar.  A decent reference sample of something you don't often see.









DMAD35 Struverite
Ialamitana, Antsirabe 2 District, Vakinankaratra Region, Antananarivo Prov., Madagascar
3x 1.0x 1.7 cm
$44

A nice reference sample of struverite from Madagascar.  Struverite is the tantalum, iron rich variety of rutile.







DMAD36 Quartz incl. Chlorite
Mahaiza Area, Vakinankaratra Region, Antananarivo Province, Madagascar
8.4x 2.1 x 1.6 cm
$62

A nice example of two parallel, terminated clear quartz crystals with green chlorite and reddish iron oxide inclusions near their bases.  I opted for the white background is it shows the inclusions better.... though because of their transparency, the crystals themselves are admittedly somewhat harder to see.....









DMAD37 Feldspat
Mt. Ibity, Antsirabe 2 Dist., Vakinankaratra Region, Antananarivo Prov., Madagascar.
3.6x 2.7x 2.5 cm
$42

An interesting reference sample of a feldspar crystal from Mt. Ibity.  What makes this particularly interesting is that this pegmatite is largely decomposed-- all that tends to be left of the feldspar is a crumbly white material, which is why the vast majority of the tourmaline and quartz specimens from this locality occur off matrix.  You can see from the surfaces of the crystal that it was starting to go as well, but for some reason it stays intact.  Interesting reference.







DMAD38 Euxenite
Ambatofotsikely pegmatite, Fidirana Commune, Betafo Dist., Vakinankaratra Region, Antananarivo Prov., Madagascar
2.9x 2.6x 1.45 cm
$58

A nice cluster of euxenite crystals from the Ambatofotsikely pegmatite, with a thin brown coating of rare earth secondaries.







DMAD39 Quartz incl. Iron Oxide
Mahaiza Area, Vakinankaratra Region, Antananarivo Province, Madagascar
5.7x 4.8x 3.6 cm
$44

A beautiful quartz specimen, with red and black spots of what I'm guessing are iron oxide just beneath the surfaces of the terminations.









DMAD40 Tourmaline with Quartz
Mt. Ibity, Antsirabe 2 Dist., Vakinankaratra Region, Antananarivo Prov., Madagascar.
6.2x 5.2x 3.3 cm
$48

A nice sample of black tourmaline with quartz, from Madagascar.









DMAD41 Andradite Garnet var Demantoida
Antetezambato, Ambanja Dist., Diana Region, Antsiranana Prov., Madagascar
6.6x4.8x 3.3 cm
$46

A nice example of green demantoid garnets from the northern tip of Madagascar.







DMAD42 Liddicoatite Tourmaline with Rhodizite-Londonite
Manapa pegmatite Field, Betafo District, Vakinankaratra Region, Antananarivo Province, Madagascar
5.3x 3.8x 4.1 cm
$68

A nice reference example of the distinctive purplish-pink liddicoatite tourmaline from the Manapa pegmatite field.  This one is half a crystal, but it displays well from the front.









DMAD43 Schorl Tourmaline
Mt. Ibity, Antsirabe 2 Dist., Vakinankaratra Region, Antananarivo Prov., Madagascar.
5.6x 3.0x 3.85 cm
$48

A nice example of schorl tourmaline from Madagascar. This one is a terminated crystal with a bit of matrix.  Decent reference piece.









DMAD44 Liddicoatite Tourmaline with Rhodizite-Londonite
Anjanabonoina pegmatites, Ambohimanambola Commune, Betafo District, Vakinankaratra Region, Antananarivo Province, Madagascar
2.6x 1.8x 1.05 cm
$70

**REPAIRED!**

A nice, though repaired thumbnail consisting of two side by side liddicoatite crystals from Anjanabonoina.  The piece is around half of what I would ask, were it not repaired







DMAD45 Schorl Tourmaline
Mt. Ibity, Antsirabe 2 Dist., Vakinankaratra Region, Antananarivo Prov., Madagascar.
2.9x 2.9x 1.7 cm
$40

A very beautiful little "toenail" sized sample of schorl tourmaline from Madagascar, with a rater aesthetic arrangement of crystals.









DMAD46 Quartz incl. Iron Oxide
Mahaiza Area, Vakinankaratra Region, Antananarivo Province, Madagascar
7.0x 2.6x 2.2 cm
$58

A decently sized example of "hematoid" quartz from Madagascar with pretty good color.







DMAD47 Quartz incl. Iron Oxide
Mahaiza Area, Vakinankaratra Region, Antananarivo Province, Madagascar
6.0x 1.4x 1.2 cm
$40

A nice example of "hematoid" quartz included with iron oxide-- this one has a nice phantom.







DMAD48 Quartz incl. Chlorite
Mahaiza Area, Vakinankaratra Region, Antananarivo Province, Madagascar
6.5x 2.1x 1.2 cm
$65

This is comes from a small pocket of highly etched actinolite included quartz crystals.  This is the same material that has the standard the green and red inclusions near the base, though it's been heavily eatched. No point of attachment.









DMAD49 Quartz incl. Chlorite
Mahaiza Area, Vakinankaratra Region, Antananarivo Province, Madagascar
5.5x1 .9x 1.5 cm
$48

This is comes from a small pocket of highly etched actinolite included quartz crystals.  This is the same material that has the standard the green and red inclusions near the base, though it's been heavily eatched. No point of attachment.









DMAD50 Quartz incl. Chlorite
Mahaiza Area, Vakinankaratra Region, Antananarivo Province, Madagascar
4.5x 1.7x 1.3 cm
$38

This is comes from a small pocket of highly etched actinolite included quartz crystals.  This is the same material that has the standard the green and red inclusions near the base, though it has been heavily eatched. This one still shows the original double terminated form. No point of attachment.







DMAD51 Liddicoatite Tourmaline
Mt. Ibity, Antsirabe 2 Dist., Vakinankaratra Region, Antananarivo Prov., Madagascar.
5.6x 3.1x 3.6 cm
$78

A nice reference sample of liddicoatite tourmaline, with a complete crystal on a feldspar matrix.









DMAD52 Fluorite
Fianarantsoa Province, Madagascar
3.5x 2.7x 2.4 cm
$40

A nice sample of fluorite from the new find.  These have a degree of UV reactiveness (like the Rogerly pieces) and show some day fluorescence.  Nice reference piece.  Please note: the 3.5 cm dimension is taken on the diagonal.







DMAD53 Magnetite
Vakinankaratra Region, Madagascar
2.8x 2.7x 2.5 cm
$36

Something a bit unusual for Madagascar-- a octahedral magnetite crystal. Most people who buy minerals in the country tend to focus on the gem material or the decorator stuff, and even the miners tend to overlook the ugly metallic stuff... every once in a while though, someone will show me something like this.  It isn't anything special, just an interesting reference form the country.  Ever seen another?









DMAD54 Phencite
Anjanabonoina pegmatites, Ambohimanambola Commune, Betafo District, Vakinankaratra Region, Antananarivo Province, Madagascar
1.7x 1.5x 1.65 cm
$64

A nice sample of phenacite from a recent find at one of the new workings around Anjanabonoina.







DMAD55 Phencite
Anjanabonoina pegmatites, Ambohimanambola Commune, Betafo District, Vakinankaratra Region, Antananarivo Province, Madagascar
1.7x 1.2x 1.0 cm
$62

A nice sample of phenacite from a recent find at one of the new workings around Anjanabonoina.  Slanted back, but displays well from the front.







DMAD56 Andradite Garnet var Demantoid
Antetezambato, Ambanja Dist., Diana Region, Antsiranana Prov., Madagascar
2.9x 2.2x 1.4 cm
$38

A nice thumbnail sized specimen, with a few green garnet crystals nestled in a matrix of more microcrystalline garnets (it looks like sedimentary material, but it isn't.)









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