Cobalt-bearing blue spinel crystal from the Monkey Mine, An Phu, Vietnam. The crystal displays a saturated cobalt blue color with natural crystal faces and minor attached matrix visible along one edge
Spinel colored by cobalt is among the rarest varieties of the species, with Vietnam being one of the few confirmed sources. Material from the Monkey Mine is especially noted for its intense blue color, caused by trace amounts of cobalt substituting into the spinel crystal structure, a coloring mechanism shared with only a handful of classic localities worldwide
18.3 x 13.3 x 10.1 mm / 15.490 carats
Estimate: $225 - $250
