Kammererite

Kammererite is the rare chromium-rich purple variety of clinochlore. Its colour comes from chromium substituting into the crystal structure, something that only forms in a few geological environments with the right metamorphic conditions. These specimens are from the Ural Mountains of Russia, one of the world’s most chromium-rich mineral regions.

The specimens show the typical platey, fibrous habit associated with that area. The purple Kammererite runs through layers of pale chlorite, with the surfaces reflecting the mineral’s natural micaceous structure. The matrix includes bright green uvarovite (likely), white clinochlore/chlorite, and patches of black chromite from the surrounding host rock.