Alurgite

Alurgite is a variety that is manganoan of that was originally described in 1865 by J.F.H. Breithaupt who also called the mineral. The name Alurgite is from the Greek word halourges meaning genuine purple dye through the sea in allusion to its typical color that is reddish-purple. In ancient Greece Murex shells through the sea had been used to make a dye that is purple halourges which was the many expensive dye known in antiquity.

Alurgite is a variety that is reddish-purple of this gets its color from the presence of manganese in its chemical formula. A variety that is green of also exists that is called Fuchsite and is colored by the presence of chromium. W. T. Schaller (1959) placed Alurgite as an intermediate between Leucophyllite (now a synonym of Aluminoceladonite) and Muscovite.

Alurgite cabochon gems are unusual but gorgeous with along with that is reddish-purple a dark back ground of black Braunite.

Circulation: Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais, Brazil; Prabornaz Mine, Saint-Marcel, Aosta Valley, Italy; Tone mine, Kinkai-Tone-machi, Nagasaki City, Nagasaki Prefecture, Kyushu Region, Japan.

Chemical Formula:	K2(Mg,Al)4-5(Al,Si)8O20(OH)4   (Muscovite)
	Potassium Magnesium Aluminum Silicate Hydroxide
Colour:	Purple