.9" Vlasovite Encapsulated in Gittinsite and Eudialyte - Canada

Vlasovite is an incredibly rare mineral that contains sodium and zirconium in its chemical formula. It was named for Kuzma Aleksevich Vlasov, a Russian mineralogist who founded the Institute of Mineralogy, Geochemistry, and Crystal Chemistry of Rare Elements in Moscow, Russia. It is only found within alkaline massifs.

Besides Russia, Canada is also a well-known locality for vlasovite: The Kipawa alkaline complex in Quebec, Canada produces stunning rosette-like formations of brownish vlasovite surrounded by a sort of rind of whitish gittinsite, all within bright pink eudialyte. These formations are often fluorescent: vlasovite is yellow to green under short-wave UV light.

Eudialyte is an uncommon ore of zirconium that forms in alkaline igneous rocks such as nepheline syenites. Eudialyte is as a minor gemstone, but its use is limited by its rarity, which is compounded by its poor crystal habit. Eudialyte's rarity makes locality useful in its identification. Its prominent localities include Mont Saint-Hilaire in Québec, Canada; the Kola Peninsula in northwestern Russia; and Poços de Caldas in Minas Gerais, Brazil.