Pyroxene

An stunning specimen of highly lustrous Pyroxene crystals which range from perfectly developed equant crystals of between a few mm to 1.5 cm, right through to elegant prismatic acicular crystals to 2.5 cm long.  Pyroxene is now considered a mineral Group rather that a specific species, but exact identification between similar species can remain vague even after analysis.  Hence, labelled as Pyroxene, this indicates the general category of chain silicate minerals into which this specimen fits.  All crystals appear jet-black, but under low magnification the tips of some reveal their very deep bottle green colour.  This specimen is from the Nordmark Odal Field at Filipstad in Värmland County, Sweden and is both an aesthetic and excellent example.