Closed Gwindel – Shalman, Pakistan

Here is an absolute rarity: a closed gwindel, also called “sucre” by the French alpine mineral diggers, on its matrix. These closed gwindels are extremely rare, even more on their matrix. Most of the time, you will find them as floaters or without any matrix. If they are very hard to find in the Swiss and French Alps, they are scarce in the Pakistanese mountains. This specimen is one of the very very few I’ve seen from this exotic locality. “Classic” gwindels themselves are not common in Pakistan.

• Locality : Shalman Area, Khyber Agency, (FATA), Pakistan
• Size : 85 mm x 55 mm x 44 mm