Astrophyllite

Astrophyllite is a very rare, brown to golden-yellow hydrous potassium iron titanium silicate mineral. Found in cavities and fissures in unusual felsic igneous rocks. Usually opaque to translucent, but may be transparent in thin specimens.

Heavy, soft and fragile, astrophyllite typically forms as bladed, radiating stellate aggregates. It is this crystal habit that gives astrophyllite its name, from the Greek words astron meaning “star” and phyllon meaning “leaf”.

It first discovered in 1854 at its type locality; Laven Island, Norway.