Bicolor sputnik aragonite, medium "The Motorcycle"

Bicolor sputnik aragonite, medium "The Motorcycle"Locale: Morocco Approx dimensions: 3. 25 x 1. 25" Approx weight: 228g This variety of aragonite clusters earns its trade name from the resemblance to the Sputnik satellite, with crystals protruding out in all directions. The bicolor variety grows crystals that are red brown and a grayish white color. I swear this lumpy piece is shaped like a motorcycle. It has short even crystal growth giving it good glitter, and distinct sections of red and white

Locale: Morocco

Approx dimensions: 3.25 x 1.25"

Approx weight: 228g

This variety of aragonite clusters earns its trade name from the resemblance to the Sputnik satellite, with crystals protruding out in all directions. The bicolor variety grows crystals that are red-brown and a grayish-white color. I swear this lumpy piece is shaped like a motorcycle. It has short even crystal growth giving it good glitter, and distinct sections of red and white crystals. One corner is broken off, revealing the radial pattern of crystal growth.

Sputnik aragonite grows clusters of elongated hexagonal barrel-shaped crystals, radiating out from a central point. The crystal habit is actually 'pseudo-hexagonal' meaning the crystals that appear hexagonal are actually formed of multiple intergrown crystals (crystal 'twinning'). This pseudo-hexagonal crystal habit is common in aragonite! The crystals grow similar to the arms of a snowflake, forming six small pie-wedges (the boundary between crystals is about halfway between points).