BLACK email:leonationworld@gmail.com/sale:20,000USD./1 carat.
PAINITE: black, weight 55 cts.
PAINITE: 55 carats.6/7/2017 email:leonationworld@gmail.com
Painite is a very rare borate mineral. It was first found in Myanmar by British mineralogist and gem dealer Arthur C.D. Pain in the 1950s. When it was confirmed as a new mineral species, the mineral was named after him.[2]
The chemical makeup of painite contains calcium, zirconium, boron, aluminium and oxygen (CaZrAl9O15(BO3)). The mineral also contains trace amounts of chromium and vanadium. Painite has an orange-red to brownish-red color similar to topaz due to trace amounts of iron. The crystals are naturally hexagonal in shape, and, until late 2004, only two had been cut into faceted gemstones.[6]
Discovery and occurrence
Striated, euhedral painite crystal (size: 0.9×0.8×0.7 cm
For many years, only three small painite crystals were known to exist. Before 2005 there were fewer than 25 known crystals found, though more material has been unearthed recently in Myanmar.
More recently, painite specimens have been discovered at a new location in northern Myanmar. It is believed that further excavations in this area will yield more painite crystals.
Extensive exploration in the Mogok region has identified several new painite occurrences that have been vigorously explored resulting in several thousand new painite specimens.[7] Most of the recent crystals and fragments are dark, opaque, incomplete crystals. A modest number of transparent crystals have been found and have been either saved as crystals or cut into gemstones.
Faceted painite with color change from brown to red, 0.86 ct, from the Thurein Taung Mine, Mogok, Myanmar (Burma)
Formula:
CaZrAl9(BO3)O15
System:
Hexagonal
Colour:
Red, brownish, orange-red
Hardness:
8
Name:
For Arthur Charles Davy Pain (b. 1902, Exmouth - d. 1971), British mineralogist and gemmologist.
Visit gemdat.org for gemological information about Painite.
Classification of Painite
IMA status:
Valid - first described prior to 1959 (pre-IMA) - "Grandfathered"
Strunz 8th ed.:
5/G.05-40
Nickel-Strunz 10th (pending) ed.:
6.AB.85
6 : BORATES
A : Monoborates
B : BO3, with additional anions; 1(D) + OH, etc.
Dana 8th ed.:
7.5.2.1
7 : MULTIPLE OXIDES
5 : (AB)2X3
Hey's CIM Ref.:
7.10.3
7 : Oxides and Hydroxides
10 : Oxides of Zr and Th
mindat.org URL:
www.mindat.org/...
Please feel free to link to this page.
Type Occurrence of Painite
Type Locality:
Ohngaing (Ohn Gaing; Ohn Kai), Mogok Valley, Mogok Township, Pyin-Oo-Lwin District, Mandalay Division, Burma (Myanmar)
Year of Discovery:
1956
Physical Properties of Painite
Colour:
Red, brownish, orange-red
Hardness (Mohs):
8
Crystallography of Painite
Crystal System:
Hexagonal
Cell Parameters:
a = 8.72Å, c = 8.46Å
Ratio:
a:c = 1 : 0.97
Unit Cell Volume:
V 557.10 ų (Calculated from Unit Cell)
Optical Data of Painite
Type:
Uniaxial (-)
RI values:
nω = 1.816 nε = 1.788
Max Birefringence:
δ = 0.028
Image shows birefringence interference colour range (at 30µm thickness) and does not take into account mineral colouration.
Surface Relief:
Very High
Chemical Properties of Painite
Formula:
CaZrAl9(BO3)O15
Essential elements:
Al, B, Ca, O, Zr
All elements listed in formula:
Al, B, Ca, O, Zr