page37vesuvianite

PPL Vesuvianite (idocrase)-rich contact altered limestone. Oxford Limestone in upper contact of the Whin Sill dolerite. Barrasford Quarry, Barrasford , Northumberland, NY919 749 Collected by B. Young 2005
Vesuvianite crystal (in centre) and high relief garnets. Opaque carbonaceous material. The vesuvianite crystal is 2mm in length.

XPL Vesuvianite (idocrase) crystal showing low order grey interference colours, surrounded by calcite with cleavage planes and twinning (vertical white lines). Isotropic garnets and opaque carbonaceous material.

The hand specimen shows pink garnets (grossular) and dark carbonaceous material set in a calcium carbonate groundmass. The vesuvianite (or idocrase) is apparent only in the thin section. Vesuvianite occurs in thermally metamorphosed limestones and in skarns. It is associated with grossular, a calcium bearing garnet as well as diopside and wollastonite.

Back to thumbnails.


PPL Vesuvianite (idocrase)-rich contact altered limestone. Oxford Limestone in upper contact of the Whin Sill dolerite. Barrasford Quarry, Barrasford , Northumberland, NY919 749 Collected by B. Young 2005 Vesuvianite crystal (in centre) and high relief garnets. Opaque carbonaceous material. The vesuvianite crystal is 2mm in length.	XPL Vesuvianite (idocrase) crystal showing low order grey interference colours, surrounded by calcite with cleavage planes and twinning (vertical white lines). Isotropic garnets and opaque carbonaceous material.