{"title":"Kammererite","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eKammererite\u003c\/strong\u003e is the chromium-rich variety of \u003cstrong\u003eclinochlore\u003c\/strong\u003e, a member of the \u003cstrong\u003echlorite group\u003c\/strong\u003e within the phyllosilicates, prized among collectors for its striking lilac-to-magenta color. Chromium substituting for aluminum in the clinochlore structure produces the mineral's signature crimson-pink to deep purple hue, setting it apart from the far more common green, iron-rich chlorites. Crystallizing in small pseudo-hexagonal plates and pseudo-rhombohedral forms, often twinned, kammererite typically occurs as druzy coatings or isolated gemmy crystals perched on dark chromite matrix, a contrast that makes specimens instantly recognizable. The species was named in 1841 in honor of August Alexander Kämmerer, mining director in Russia, reflecting its early historical association with chromite deposits of the Urals.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe undisputed world locality for fine kammererite is the \u003cstrong\u003eKop Krom Mine\u003c\/strong\u003e in the \u003cstrong\u003eKop Daglari\u003c\/strong\u003e, Aşkale District, Erzurum Province, Turkey, where sharp, gemmy, deep magenta to hot-pink crystals up to a centimeter were recovered chiefly during the 1970s and early 1980s before the mine's closure; specimens from this now-exhausted source are increasingly scarce and highly sought after. Other classic occurrences include \u003cstrong\u003eWood's Chrome Mine\u003c\/strong\u003e in Texas, Little Britain Township, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, USA, historically important for American chromian clinochlore specimens, and the \u003cstrong\u003eTilly Foster Mine\u003c\/strong\u003e in Brewster, New York, another well-known chromite-hosted locality. Kammererite forms wherever chromite ores undergo hydrothermal alteration, frequently in association with chromite itself, brucite, and other chlorite-group minerals, giving specimens added scientific and aesthetic interest through their contrasting mineral associations.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eFor collectors, kammererite represents a rare intersection of vivid color, crystallographic interest, and locality-driven rarity rarely matched among the chlorite group. Its intense magenta-to-violet tones, sometimes described as gemmy or glowing when lit well, make it a standout in thumbnail and miniature specimen collections, while the finite, historic nature of the Kop Krom material adds significant collector value. Whether sought as a classic Turkish chromian clinochlore or an older Pennsylvania piece, kammererite remains one of the most visually distinctive and desirable chlorite-group species available to mineral collectors.\u003c\/p\u003e","products":[],"url":"https:\/\/www.italmineral.com\/collections\/kammererite.oembed","provider":"ITALMINERAL","version":"1.0","type":"link"}