Purple and Green Charoite Tower
Purple and Green Charoite Tower
This is a purple 3.3 inch Charoite Tower. It has a little green in it (feldspar), and weighs 92 grams. Charoite is a newcomer, first discovered in the 1940s in the Sakha Republic area of Siberia, Russia. More specifically, at the Murunskii Massif. A Massif is an unusual geological formation, of which there are few worldwide. The rarity of Massifs and the uncommon geological events that occurred at the Murunski Massif, lead scientists to suggest we may never find another deposit of this unusual and beautiful mineral.
Contrary to popular belief, Charoite was not named for the Chara River. There seems to be some debate about this, but it is now generally agreed upon that Charoite was named for its magical appearance; The Russian word Chary means "charms" or “magic” and the site where it was first uncovered is about 70km away from the Chara River.
Charoitite is a contact metamorphic rock that usually contains a variety of alkaline calcium silicate accessory minerals. These can include miserite, benstonite, canasite, tinaksite, pectolite, and fedorite. These are often associated with textural varieties of charoite and include: massive (miserite), parallel fibers (benstonite), and radially fibrous (canasite and tinaksite).
In addition to inspiring us to selflessly help others, Charoite is a remarkable stone for reflection. When we think of our past mistakes that still bring us guilt or pain, instead of punishing ourselves, Charoite challenges us to learn from our experiences without harsh judgment. This stone supports us as we ask ourselves, “How can I make things right, and how can I do better from now on?” Its strong humanitarian properties help us to keep a loving worldview close at heart and remember that our actions have a ripple effect.