Provenite

Dassu (Dusso)

AreaDraft data

35.7200° N, 75.5208° E · ± 10 km

Albite and Aquamarine from Skardu District, Pakistan, with photos of specimens from this locality.

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Minerals found here

AlbiteAquamarine

Albite at Dassu (Dusso)

Transparent topaz with quartz nestled in crystallized cleavelandite, Dassu.
Transparent topaz with quartz nestled in crystallized cleavelandite, Dassu.
Photo: Robert M. Lavinsky · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Source
Transparent bluish gem albite crystals on quartz, Dassu.
Transparent bluish gem albite crystals on quartz, Dassu.
Photo: Robert M. Lavinsky · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Source
Close view of the transparent gem albite crystals on quartz from Dassu.
Close view of the transparent gem albite crystals on quartz from Dassu.
Photo: Robert M. Lavinsky · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Source
Champagne-coloured topaz crystals on albite, Dassu.
Champagne-coloured topaz crystals on albite, Dassu.
Photo: Robert M. Lavinsky · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Source
Clear topaz with albite, Dassu.
Clear topaz with albite, Dassu.
Photo: Robert M. Lavinsky · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Source
Formula
NaAlSi₃O₈
Morphology
Cleavelandite matrix and, rarely, transparent gem albite crystals on quartz
Typical size
Specimens about 2.5 to 19 cm
Color / luster
White cleavelandite; rare transparent bluish gem crystals
Associated minerals
Topazquartzschorl
Availability
Unknown
History
A plate of transparent blue albite crystals on quartz was shown at Denver and identified by analysis at the University of Arizona

Sources: SRC-547

About Albite →

Aquamarine at Dassu (Dusso)

Large, doubly terminated, sceptred aquamarine crystal from Dassu, Shigar Valley, Pakistan.
Large, doubly terminated, sceptred aquamarine crystal from Dassu, Shigar Valley, Pakistan.
Photo: Robert M. Lavinsky · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Source
Water-clear aquamarine crystal 5.7 cm long on cleavelandite and muscovite from Dassu, Pakistan.
Water-clear aquamarine crystal 5.7 cm long on cleavelandite and muscovite from Dassu, Pakistan.
Photo: Robert M. Lavinsky · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Source
Terminated gem aquamarine crystal 1.9 cm long from Dassu, Pakistan.
Terminated gem aquamarine crystal 1.9 cm long from Dassu, Pakistan.
Photo: Robert M. Lavinsky · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Source
Gem aquamarine crystal with bevelled termination, 1.9 cm, from Dassu, Pakistan.
Gem aquamarine crystal with bevelled termination, 1.9 cm, from Dassu, Pakistan.
Photo: Robert M. Lavinsky · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Source
Gemmy terminated aquamarine crystal 2.6 cm long from Dassu, Pakistan.
Gemmy terminated aquamarine crystal 2.6 cm long from Dassu, Pakistan.
Photo: Robert M. Lavinsky · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Source
Formula
Be₃Al₂Si₆O₁₈
Morphology
Gem prismatic crystals with bevelled terminations, single or in parallel growth; also sceptred and doubly terminated crystals
Typical size
Mostly 1-6 cm
Color / luster
Light blue, water-clear, glassy
Associated minerals
Albite (cleavelandite)muscovite
Availability
Unknown

Sources: SRC-746 SRC-266

About Aquamarine →

Geology of the locality

Region
Skardu District
Country
Pakistan

Village in the Braldu valley north-east of Skardu; collector labels place it in the Shigar Valley. Coordinates of the populated place Dusso from GeoNames; the pegmatite workings lie on the slopes around the village.

Sources: SRC-531

Sources

  1. SRC-531 · Database
    GeoNames search: Dassu (Dusso), PakistanGeoNames · GeoNames
  2. SRC-547 · Website
    File:Albite-Quartz-d06-172a.jpgRobert M. Lavinsky · Wikimedia Commons
  3. SRC-746 · Website
    File:Beryl-193867.jpgRobert M. Lavinsky · Wikimedia Commons
  4. SRC-266 · Book
    Handbook of Mineralogy - BerylAnthony, J.W.; Bideaux, R.A.; Bladh, K.W.; Nichols, M.C. · 2001 · Mineralogical Society of America / Mineral Data Publishing

Draft data from the Provenite workbook. Check entries against the cited sources before relying on them. Photos are open-licence images from Wikimedia Commons; the author and licence are given with each photo.