Benitoite

Benitoite is the California State gemstone, a unique and rare titanium mineral that is found nowhere else on the planet in good crystals except for a small area of San Benito County in California. The deposit is a chance of nature, whereby a small piece of the lower crust bordering the mantle was churned up to the surface, with these odd minerals forming in it. These sharp blue triangles are unique in the mineral world for their seemingly carved shape and form, combined with a resonant blue color. The deposit is nearly mined out, so very few more benitoites can ever be expected: This is a sharp specimen with crystals to an inch in size contrasting starkly to their matrix of natrolite.

3.5 inch specimen.

This painting is displayed in the GOLD frame.