RAITE
Specimen rai-2

Dims: 1.8x1.1x1.6" (4.5x3.7x4.1cm)

Wt: 2.26 oz. (64.0g)

Yubileinaya vein, Karnasurt Mine, Lovozero, RUssia

This is a surprisingly good specimen of the rare mineral raite, although the crystals are tiny and comprise only a small fraction of the specimen. More than half of the specimen is albite (or a similar feldspar), and most of the rest is reddish-brown crystals of eudialite. In addition, there are many small crystals of other minerals, which I have not identified. Nestled in cavities in the eudialite are thousands of transparent honey-brown acicular crystals of raite which are large enough to sparkle brightly in sunlight. In the largest, most protected cavity, these crystals are organized as minute puffballs which appear a darker brown in the aggregate. It takes a bright point light source (such as direct sunlight) to readily identify all of the raite, and a loupe to truely appreciate the crystals.

Dims: 1.26x1.61x0.67" (3.2x4.1x1.7cm)

Wt: 0.91oz. (25.7g)

Karnasurt mine, Lovozero, Russia

At one end of this specimen (the image is an end-on view), the surface is covered with fine acicular crystals of raite, largely in radial clumps. A loupe is needed to examine the raite, which is light brown in color, but the crystals are too small to determine luster and transparency. The rest of this specimen is a hodgepodge of minerals, certainly including red villiaumite crystals, possibly eduialite, and a large crystal of something black and/or green. I'm sure that even more minerals are present.