Rutile

Mount Kaputjugh, Zangezur range, Ordubad District, Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic, Azerbaijan

6,5x4x4 cm. (main Rutile about 3,7×1,3×1,3 cm.)

This region is renowned for producing excellent, world-class Rutile crystals that are generous in size and exhibit an adamantine to metallic luster. This specimen, composed of many crystals, one of which is particularly aesthetic, meets the standards expected for rutile crystals from this well-known area.

Mount Kaputjugh is the highest mountain in the Zangezur range, forming the border between the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic of Azerbaijan and the Syunik Province of Armenia. It has an elevation of 3,906 metres

This region is characterized by its Complex Geology, including a mix of igneous, metamorphic, and sedimentary rocks. The geology of Mount Kaputjugh is influenced by tectonic processes associated with the collision of the Arabian and Eurasian plates, leading to significant metamorphism and magmatic activity.

Rutile is a titanium dioxide (TiO2) mineral that has been used as an indicator in magmatic and metamorphic-related diagenetic systems, commonly found in metamorphic and igneous rocks. It forms under high-temperature and high-pressure conditions, which are prevalent in regions with significant tectonic activity, such as Mount Kaputjugh.

Metamorphic Rocks : Rutile typically forms in high-pressure metamorphic rocks such as schists and gneisses. At Mount Kaputjugh, the presence of rutile is often associated with metamorphic processes where titanium-bearing minerals are recrystallized.

Igneous Rocks : Rutile can also crystallize from magmatic processes in igneous rocks like granite and pegmatite. The magmatic activity at Mount Kaputjugh contributes to the formation of rutile in such environments.

Rutile at Mount Kaputjugh is often found in association with other minerals such as quartz, feldspar, and mica in metamorphic rocks. In igneous rocks, it can be found alongside minerals like ilmenite, anatase, and titanite.