Brasilianite

Brasilianite, a sodium aluminum hydroxyphosphate, was identified as a new mineral in 1945 by two North Americans who, in describing it, paid tribute to Brazil. It was discovered in pegmatite deposits in Minas Gerais and was often confused with yellow chrysoberyl. The historic discovery was made at the Conselheiro Pena mine, followed by another at Córrego Fria, north of São Tomé das Letras. Pegmatites are rocks with rough grains, originally formed by volcanic activity. The use of Brasilianite for jewelry is limited because it is a very soft mineral, but because it is beautiful, it is often cut for collectors. Of course, they don't use the stones as an adornment because Brasilianite splinters and cracks easily. Brasilianite was later found in several pegmatites in the northeast of Minas Gerais, especially in the municipality of Mendes Pimentel. Its occurrence has also been verified in other countries, but no finding has provided specimens comparable to those in Brazil. Despite the Brasilianite deposits being commercially exploited, the yield is low; the largest and best quality crystals all come from Brazil.