The world’s rarest mineral is called kyawthuite, a tiny tawny-hued grain weighing just 1.61 carats. It is so rare that only one specimen has ever been found.
The single known specimen was discovered in 2010 in a market in Myanmar by gemologist Kyaw Thu, who initially thought it was a different mineral called scheelite.
Analysis by the Gemological Institute of America determined that kyawthuite has a unique chemical formula of Bi3+Sb5+O4, an arrangement never before found in nature.
Kyawthuite is believed to have formed from igneous processes, likely as an inclusion in a type of volcanic rock called pegmatite. Its rarity suggests there are special conditions required for its formation.
The world’s second-rarest gem, painite, is valued at $50,000-$60,000 per carat, making kyawthuite, with only one known specimen, effectively priceless.
The sole known kyawthuite specimen is currently housed at the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County.
Source: ScienceAlert
