Scapolite Marialite

Purple Scapolite, also known as Marialite, is a mineral that contains aluminum, chlorine, sodium, calcium, sulfur, carbon, and silicon. These elements crystallize in mass formations but can occur in schists, pegmatites, and marble as prismatic & tetragonal crystals. This crystal was discovered in 1866 in Naples, Campania, Italy by Gerhard vom Rath. He believed he had unearthed a completely new mineral to the world and chose to name it in honor of his wife, Maria Rosa vom Rath. This stone would later be re-classified in 1959 as Purple Scapolite, a member of the Scapolite family.

Marialite often occurs with a handful of other minerals such as Quartz, Diopside, and Green Tourmaline. Purple Scapolite is extremely rare especially when found in its crystallized, gem formation. The only active known locality with very high-quality material comes out of the Kuran wa Munjan District, of Badakhshan, Afghanistan. Previously, Tanzanite, Australia, China, Italy, Canada, and the USA played a significant role in Purple Scapolite mining. Trace Elements (Activators)Certain trace elements act as