Monazite-(Ce) with QuartzMonazite gets its name from the Greek word "monazein", which means "to be alone", in allusion to its isolated crystals and their rarity when first found. Monazite is usually found in granitic pegmatites, but these crystals are found in hydrothermal tin veins where there is an absolute absence of Thorium (usually a trace element in Monazite). This is a remarkable, very well crystallized, ridiculously rare, specimen consisting of sharp, lustrous,

Internally

Specimen # BROOK31909

The species was named after Basilius Valentinus

I have never seen anything quite like this from any mine in Bolivia

but the Calcites on this specimen are impressive for Bolivia

It is not from the typical Bolivian locality at the Unificada mine in Potosi

despite a tiny bit of roughness

it’s a very worthwhile representation of these classic specimens

and much more significant discovery was made in Potosi

I have photographed the crystals under the microscope to better illustrate their quality

You can see his photo mining at the Sweet Home on page 58 of Peter Bancroft's book "Gem and Crystal Treasures"

A classic “V”-shaped or “heart”-shaped twin (twinned along the {100} face) of Ferberite from the famous Tasna mine in far southern Bolivia