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1.6" Polished Pinolite Sphere - Austria
This is a 1.6" polished Pinolite sphere from Austria, showcasing the stone’s signature white magnesite “pine-nut” patterns set against a deep gray dolomite matrix. It comes with an acrylic ring stand for easy display.
About Pinolite
Pinolite—also known as Pinolith or “Pinolith Stone”—is a striking metamorphic rock famous for its distinctive white, pine-nut–shaped inclusions set in a dark gray to black matrix. These bold, organic patterns often resemble scattered fossil fragments or bone chips frozen in stone, but they are entirely mineralogical in origin. The white shapes are magnesite crystals intergrown with dolomite and streaks of graphite, creating a natural contrast that almost looks hand-painted.
This rare material is found almost exclusively in the mountains of Styria, Austria, where it formed during regional metamorphism over 100 million years ago. Pinolite takes an excellent polish, bringing out its dramatic black-and-white patterning, and is prized for cabochons, spheres, decorative carvings, and display specimens.
Pinolite—also known as Pinolith or “Pinolith Stone”—is a striking metamorphic rock famous for its distinctive white, pine-nut–shaped inclusions set in a dark gray to black matrix. These bold, organic patterns often resemble scattered fossil fragments or bone chips frozen in stone, but they are entirely mineralogical in origin. The white shapes are magnesite crystals intergrown with dolomite and streaks of graphite, creating a natural contrast that almost looks hand-painted.
This rare material is found almost exclusively in the mountains of Styria, Austria, where it formed during regional metamorphism over 100 million years ago. Pinolite takes an excellent polish, bringing out its dramatic black-and-white patterning, and is prized for cabochons, spheres, decorative carvings, and display specimens.
$25
SPECIES
Magnesite, Dolomite, and Graphite
LOCATION
Austria
SIZE
1.6" wide
CATEGORY
SUB CATEGORY
ITEM
#343944
