Eudialyte

Classic eudialyte on matrix from the renowned Khibiny Massif, Murmansk Oblast, Russian Federation. The specimen shows pink to reddish-pink eudialyte occurring as massive to crystalline aggregates embedded in a dark alkaline host rock, creating a strong and visually striking colour contrast typical for Khibiny material.

Eudialyte is a cyclosilicate mineral, first described in 1819 and named from the Greek eu (well) and dialytos (decomposable), referring to its tendency to break down during chemical analysis. It forms in alkaline igneous environments, especially within nepheline syenite complexes.

The Khibiny Massif is one of the world’s most important alkaline complexes and the type locality for eudialyte, making material from this region of particular historical and systematic importance. Eudialyte is considered uncommon to rare outside alkaline complexes, and specimens from Khibiny represent the classic reference material for the species. At this locality, eudialyte is typically associated with aegirine and other alkaline silicates, a well-documented assemblage characteristic of the massif.

The specimen originates from the former collection of C. Strömpl, an amateur mineralogist.