http://www.mindat.org/msgboard-95.html Thu, 23 May 2013 00:27:41 +0000 Phorum 5.2.15a http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,95,292301,293681#msg-293681 http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,95,292301,293681#msg-293681 I'd be happy to.
Apparently it takes more than one day to master mineral photography, but I'm working on it.
Larger specimens are particularly hard for me to photograph with my minimal equipment.
I'll let you know when I post a suitable photo.]]> Adam Kelly Best Minerals - Quartz Sat, 11 May 2013 20:23:34 +0000 http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,95,292301,293546#msg-293546 http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,95,292301,293546#msg-293546 Can you upload an image of it to mindat? Im sure that it could find a home in Best Minerals.]]> Rock Currier Best Minerals - Quartz Fri, 10 May 2013 01:03:45 +0000 http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,95,292301,293437#msg-293437 http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,95,292301,293437#msg-293437 I have a very nice cabinet sized cluster of light amethyst from Elko Nevada.
I looked thru the photo gallery, and saw nothing remotely like the piece I have.
I've always struggled with mineral photography, but at least I have the day off!
AK]]> Adam Kelly Best Minerals - Quartz Wed, 08 May 2013 15:56:50 +0000 http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,95,292301,293210#msg-293210 http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,95,292301,293210#msg-293210 Most of the dies, at least the ones that are color stable are chemicals in solution that are heated with the agates so that they will diffuse through into the agate layers and then the color is developed either with heat or by precipitating the colored compound in the agate layers. The Uruguayan agates from the Artigas area are particularly good for dying because some of the bands are very tight and after dying are even almost entirely white indicating that none or very little diffusion has taken place. Perhaps the oldest form of dying agates is to soak them in honey and then heat the agates or put them in sulfuric acid to carbonize the sugar in the honey. The sugar in honey is made monosaccharides (6 carbon sugars) as opposed to cane sugar which if a polymonosaccharide (a 12 carbon sugar). Although I have never read any articles on it, I would suspect that six carbon sugars would diffuse faster into the agate than the 12 carbon ones.]]> Rock Currier Best Minerals - Quartz Mon, 06 May 2013 10:05:46 +0000 http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,95,292301,293180#msg-293180 http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,95,292301,293180#msg-293180
You got me on that one. Yes, chalcedony and agate are indeed permeable. The question is “How permeable?” The permeability values in those materials can be so small that it would take millions of years to move a quantity of a fluid through a mass of 1 cubic meter (the way the Darcy is defined–you know, the unit of permeability).

Actually, quantitative data for this issue are hard to come by, to say nothing of information on why permeability varies from one layer of agate to another. Nevertheless, my background is in petroleum and other fluids that move (or don't move) through sediments and sedimentary rocks. Both agate and chalcedony are absolutely, totally, irretrievably impermeable in that realm. That means they can never be petroleum reservoirs or aquifers, and that IS true!

The samples I mentioned, especially 104128, is clearly a “wonder stone” type of thing. Most of that, especially if it looks like this specimen, is sandstone. It’s for sale at a very large number of tourist-trap shops all over the country, and it’s all the same stuff–VERY permeable sandstone through which iron-oxide-laden water passed, but not getting all the way through, and leaving the iron oxide concentrated at the limits of the flow. Occasionally, another, stronger pulse of flow occurred, picking up the previously-deposited material, and moving it a bit father. Combining the new oxide material with what was there before makes an especially thick and concentrated layer having the characteristic bulbous and truncational pattern.

Sample 104130 looks a bit finer-grained. It may have been limestone that was silicified. Most carbonate sediments have the necessary permeability to allow such fluid flow, but would probably be more cream-colored to gray, although silicification often lightens it. I saw a lot of silicified Ajax Dolomite that had formed a sort of wonder stone at the Lookout Pass locality. Sandstone and limestone porosity is coarse (“macroporosity”), and that is why its permeability is so high. The porosity in agate and chalcedony is “microporosity” unless it is of secondary origin (e.g., fracturing, shrinkage).

In both scenarios (sandstone and a carbonate rock) differential permeability of primary layering is not involved. So this material is completely different from agate. The material is not quartz, the mineral. It is sandstone that indeed consists dominantly of quartz grains, but that is a matter for “Rockdat.” Silicified limestone or dolostone is also a subject for “Rockdat,” not Mindat. I think agate and chalcedony can legitimately be considered subjects for Mindat, but not sandstone. Chert is marginal, but technically, as many people have stated, it really is a rock.

I believe the iron oxides in “wonder stone” are transported as micro-solids in the oxidized state. Clay particles are also often moved through interconnected porosity of petroleum reservoir rocks (sandstone and limestone or dolostone), similar to what must have happened with the particulate iron oxide of these “wonder stones.” Reduced iron is quite soluble and can be readily transported in solution, but what we see here happened in the vadose zone, and that is oxidizing. I don’t know anything about the dyes used for agates. Are the coloring agents in solution or in particulate form?

All that notwithstanding, your suggestion about what to do (“see what others say about this before we amend the article and the image captions as well”) is fine.]]> Norman King Best Minerals - Quartz Sun, 05 May 2013 23:38:38 +0000 http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,95,292301,292321#msg-292321 http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,95,292301,292321#msg-292321 Thanks for your comments. You are apparently talking about the images of Picture Jasper #104128

Picture Jasper, Jackpot, Elko Co., Nevada, USA	© Crater Rock Museum

and Biggs Jasper #104130

Chalcedony, Biggs, Sherman Co., Oregon, USA	© Crater Rock Museum

When you say that this material is not quartz or chalcedony or agate, because those materials are not permeable I don't agree with you. Quartz (crystals) I would agree are not permeable, but agate and chalcedony in most cases certainly are. The reason is say this is because of hew readily agate absorbs die and other chemical compounds. We have several thousand pounds of died tumbled stone, agate slabs and agate bookends in my warehouse to attest to the fact.

That aside, I agree with you that these materials appear to have been created by fine grained sediments and that the term jasper may not be the correct way to describe them. However these are pretty well known types of stone and the term jasper will remain stuck on them in the rockhound community. That is no reason that we should not employ more exact terms here with a nod of course to what they are commonly called in the rockbound community. The people who cut and polish this stuff know very well from its hardness and how it cuts and polishes if it is as hard as jasper, agate or chalcedony. If there are any of them here that have had experience in the lapidary hardness of these materials we would be glad to hear from them.

Lets see what others say about this before we amend the article and the image captions as well.]]> Rock Currier Best Minerals - Quartz Fri, 26 Apr 2013 16:37:17 +0000 http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,95,292302,292313#msg-292313 http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,95,292302,292313#msg-292313
Larry Maltby]]> Rock Currier Best Minerals - Quartz Fri, 26 Apr 2013 15:52:46 +0000 http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,95,292301,292310#msg-292310 http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,95,292301,292310#msg-292310

DIFFERENCES BETWEEN SIERRA BLANCA AND MINA TIRO ESTRELLA SMOKY QUARTZ

Information and mineral specimens from both localities often get mixed together, so I want to briefly address these common mix-ups. Both localities are within the boundary of the Lincoln National Forest, but Sierra Blanca is in the Sacramento Mountains while Mina Tiro Estrella is in the Capitan Mountains 30 miles to the ENE. To my knowledge only at Sierra Blanca has mineral collecting been forbidden by the Forest Service, and have smoky quartz crystals been confiscated from operations back in the 1980’s. I believe there has been a regulation of sorts against collecting here, but it is very rarely enforced. Mina Tiro Estrella has, for the majority of its existence, always been a valid claim and is still currently under claim although collecting is not permitted by the owner.

Concerning the specimens from each respective location, smoky quartz is commonly found from both places, but the similarities end there. Crystals from Mina Tiro Estrella are relatively small (singles to 7 cm, twins to 10 cm) and are generally twinned or of the tessin habit whereas the crystals from Sierra Blanca are all simple-prismatic and can get much larger (to 40 cm). Color of the Mina Tiro Estrella quartz is usually pale to medium smoky with very few dark crystals, while quartz from Sierra Blanca is usually medium to dark smoky with occasional pale crystals. Luster from both locales can be matte to brilliant, but striations on Mina Tiro Estrella specimens are much more pronounced. Japan law twins are found from Mina Tiro Estrella and not from Sierra Blanca. Very few accessory minerals are found along with the smoky quartz from Sierra Blanca, except for occasionally some white, colloform fluorite and very rarely mint-to-emerald green fluorite octahedrons. Major accessory minerals from Mina Tiro Estrella include white feldspar crystals (either albite or orthoclase), sharp, bladed crystals of black allanite, and small brownish-red titanite crystals.


MINA TIRO ESTRELLA

The Mina Tiro Estrella quartz locality has long been famous for producing some of North America's finest Japan-law twins. What sets the twins apart from many other localities is their smoky color, gem quality, mirror-like luster and pronounced striations on the flattened crystal faces. The twins were first found by Dick Jones in 1976 when he reportedly followed the directions of a hunter that had stumbled across some quartz float, including some Japan-law twins, in the Capitan Mountains during a deer/elk hunt. Dick Jones located the place where the twins had been discovered and filed several claims in the area. The problem was he intentionally recorded the claims a half mile further than their actual physical location to protect the property from claim-jumpers, including the claim with the majority of the quartz mineralization, the “Mina Tiro Estrella”. This gave Dick a chance to dig on the Mina Tiro Estrella unhindered and resulted in a major strike in 1978-1979. Many twins of the best quality were found, several of which are pictured here. By 1980 the word was out and other collectors were able to locate the claim and high-grade some fine twins from the diggings. Dick let the claims lapse soon after, and although other people re-filed the claim, not much more significant material has been produced since this time. NOTE: The Mina Tiro Estrella claim is currently under ownership and collecting is not allowed.

The Mina Tiro Estrella smoky quartz occurrence is hosted in a feldspar and quartz-rich granite called alaskite. The mineralization is present in the form of a brecciated vein consisting of alkali feldspar (albite/orthoclase) and quartz that supposedly coincides with a fault striking N48E and dipping 52degSW (I have not personally seen the fault). Most of the vein is covered by colluvium, but in places it can be found on the surface as quartz float. Much of the feldspar is decomposed to the point where it crumbles easily in the hands, even when encountered several feet under the surface of the vein outcrop. The vein opens up into pockets to about 10 cm, and very rarely to 25 cm, in which the quartz crystals (including many Japan Law twins) form along with allanite and small crystals of titanite. The hanging wall of the vein abuts against a clay layer of unknown thickness, and it is along this contact that many of the finest twins are found. Allanite is present in many of the small pockets as jet-black crystals up to 3 cm, but in many cases the crystals are metamict due to the presence of radioactive thorium. Small crystals of reddish-brown titanite up to 6 mm are present in these pockets, usually sprinkled upon the quartz/feldspar matrix and even a few of the quartz crystals themselves.

Smoky quartz crystals from Mina Tiro Estrella can be pale to dark smoky in color, but the vast majority of the crystals found are pale to medium smoky (most likely caused by natural radiation of thorium present in the allanite). Single prismatic crystals usually have not grown much larger than 4 cm (occasionally up to 7 cm) and exhibit the tessin habit. Japan-law twins are common. Most of the crystals have very pronounced striations running perpendicular to the C axis, and coupled with brilliant luster, make for very dazzling specimens. Occasionally crystals with a dull or matte luster are found, but these can be considered a minority. Surprisingly, the Japan-law twins are usually much larger (up to 10 cm on a side) than the regular tessin-style crystals. Back in the late 1970's and early 1980's Dick Jones marketed many very dark twins that nobody else has ever found, so some questions exist as to whether or not the color of these is completely natural.

[Philip Simmons 2013]]]> Rock Currier Best Minerals - Quartz Fri, 26 Apr 2013 15:45:05 +0000 http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,95,292301,292309#msg-292309 http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,95,292301,292309#msg-292309
The bands in those rock are of fundamentally different geometry that any other presumed agate pictured, mainly due to the numerous truncations of laminae. These two photos appear to show precipitation fronts formed by solutions moving through a permeable medium. Thus, these specimens are not even quartz or chalcedony or agate, because those materials are not permeable unless perhaps very heavily weathered, and they do not appear so. When the solution could no longer move “forward,” due perhaps to no more solution being supplied or to local variations in permeability of the matrix material, minerals in solution precipitated. These appear to be iron oxide. Such iron oxide bands are very common at outcrops the world over. They are identical to the “bands” in so-called landscape rock, which normally is sandstone. In view of where these were found, however, they might be weathered rhyolite or volcanic ash lithified by secondary processes.

Unfortunately, I simply don’t have time to document the evidence for my concerns from the literature. However, I checked the web for information on the origin of such bands, and found a horrid array of references mostly from the early part of the 20th Century. I hate to sound like an elitist (so I’ll blame others!), but people I studied under 40 some years ago would summarily dismiss any technical explanations that were as much as half that age. Most of the more recent articles cite those earlier studies as their authority, so they are also 100 years behind the times even though bearing much more recent dates of publication. The ones that do not cite such literature (which is of historical interest only, in my opinion) seem to be about some other kind of phenomena such as layers of alternating composition formed by precipitation from gels. The latter may indeed be the origin of banding in agate (which is of fundamentally different geometry!), but is not the origin of what is shown in these two photos.

Suffice it to say, I do not believe that those two specimen photos should be in the “Best Quartz” section, but not for the reason you suggested under the first photo (the 7th in the series). It is extremely unlikely that these are what the uploader said they are, if they said they are agate. Do we have thin sections of these materials to verify them? That’s all it would take.

[Norman King 2012]]]> Rock Currier Best Minerals - Quartz Fri, 26 Apr 2013 15:40:41 +0000 http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,95,292302,292308#msg-292308 http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,95,292302,292308#msg-292308
In the Fall Creek district, Fall creek Reservoir, Lane CO, Oregon. should be added. Most of the specimens I uploaded were found in the exposed hillsides from winter time drawdown. This reservoir along with Lookout point reservoir in the adjacent river valley provide some amazing hiking and mineral collecting opportunities. With close to 200 ft of hillside exposed during drawdown you are able to see entire volcanic flows that would be otherwise covered by forests. Collecting mainly consists of quartz family due to the fact that when the lake is full the lake water has started to disolve many of the zeolite minerals that are present but altered by the lake water when it is full.

I will continue to upload pictures of further specimens from these locations that may meet the standards of best minerals. My hope is that some of the specimens in the possession of the “Old Timers” makes it to the photo collection. They have some truly amazing large formations that are worthy of being added. I may try and visit a few of them that I know and bring my camera with me. Most of them don’t collect any more, just hang around the rock shows and clubs nowadays.

[Ariel Wall 2010]

View of calapooya river valley from top of Chandler Mtn. agate beds looking west.
[attachment 22449 IMG_0142small.JPG]]]> Rock Currier Best Minerals - Quartz Fri, 26 Apr 2013 15:36:27 +0000 http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,95,292302,292307#msg-292307 http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,95,292302,292307#msg-292307 Oregon is prolific in amorphous quartz and sparse in well developed crystaline varieties. Granite is very hard to come by in oregon so most of the quartz formations are relativly low temprature and short lived comared to a pegmatite or vug. one thing of interest is that many of the enviornments in which cryptocrystaline quartz will form involve a mix of organic matter and fossils. This is a main factor in the abundant and exceptional petrified wood that comes from this area. It is mainly silicified by a very clear blue grey agate. This only shows in cracks in the wood but it makes for excellent cell preservation in the wood tissue. The wood when petrified often looks exactly as it did when it was alive or ont the ground the forest.

[Ariel Wall 2010]]]> Rock Currier Best Minerals - Quartz Fri, 26 Apr 2013 15:35:46 +0000 http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,95,292302,292302#msg-292302 http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,95,292302,292302#msg-292302 Quartz, Alabama to California here for Quartz from Colorado to Montana here for Quartz from Nebraska to Oklahoma here for Quartz, Oregon to Wyoming, here for Best Minerals Quartz and here for Best Minerals A to Z and here for Fast Navigation of completed Best Minerals articles.




Quartz
USA
Oregon, Baker Co.

Phantom quartz, ~13cm wide	©

Oregon has produced many fine quartz specimens and the one here is nice but better have been found. Hopefully someone will upload some better pictures for us to include here.
[Rock Currier 2009]


Quartz
USA
Oregon, Deschutes Co.

Quartz v. petrified wood, 18.5cm wide	© Danny Jones

Quartz
USA
Oregon, Grant Co.

Quartz v. agate limb cast, 11cm wide	© Danny Jones

Quartz
USA
Oregon, Jefferson Co., Madras, Richardson Ranch (Priday Ranch)

Agate "thunderegg", ~8cm?	© Don Volkman 2/24/08

Agate "thunderegg", 3.5cm	© Don Volkman 2/24/08

Agate thunderegg (Priday plume), 7.5cm	© Don Volkman 2/24/08

The Richardson Ranch is famous among old rockhounds for its agate nodules that are called thunder eggs as well as other types of agate. Thunder eggs can still be collected today. Some few of them show plume agate inside of them and are highly prised by agate collectors.
[Rock Currier 2009]


Quartz
USA
Oregon, Lane Co., Blue River District

Quartz, 5cm wide	©

Quartz
USA
Oregon, Lane Co., Fall Creek District, Fall Creek Reservoir

Quartz 10cm tall	©

Quartz 10cm tall	©

Quartz geode 15cm wide	©

Quartz 10cm wide	©

Quartz var. chalcedony (petrified wood) 17x12cm	©

The fall Creek district is centered aroung a small 6 mile long flood control resivoir called the Fall Creek Resovoir. The surface collecting that is available is well known to locals. The yearly draw down lf the lake hammers away at the hill sides and exposes a wide variety of old rotten bassalt, andesite, and ryholite as well as various volcanic ash deposits. These flows criss cross each other and are extinct from volcanos when roughly 25 million years ago the wester cascades were much higher in elevation and active. This reservoir along with Lookout point reservoir in the adjacent river valley provide some amazing hiking and mineral collecting opportunities. With close to 200 ft of hillside exposed during drawdown you are able to see entire volcanic flows that would be otherwise covered by forests. Collecting mainly consists of quartz family due to the fact that when the lake is full the lake water has started to disolve many of the zeolite minerals that are present but altered by the lake water when it is full. As with much of the western cascade range the active volcanics are now on the east side of the range leaving the older west side heavily weathered and exposed. There are numerous exposed petrified logs some measuring 6 ft in diameter crossing the basin in which Fall creek has cut across welded ash flows at the bottom of the resivoir. Ancient lahars and ash flows are evident in many exposed hillsides when the lake is drawn down for flood control during the winter months. Many of the deposits that are found in the resivoir extend above the high water line and in some areas the agate and jasper that is present at the surface makes up 80% of the rock found up near the ridges where they formed and is concealed well under the dense forest and fern growth. After logging operations is when collecting is prolific and most if the material is collected with in 2 feet of the surface. However most of the specimens must be carried out in a backpack or during hunting season you can drive to the locations. Overall most of the deposits are minimaly worked due to being concealed by the dense forests that Oregon is known for. This is in stark contrast to eastern oregon which is very arid and open.Collecting there is much easier and collecting sites are well known and often dug heavily.

Oregon is prolific in amorphous quartz and sparse in well developed crystaline varieties. Granite is uncommon in oregon so most of the quartz formations are relativly low temprature and short lived comared to a pegmatite or vug. One thing of interest is that many of the enviornments in this part of Oregon, in which cryptocrystaline quartz will form involve a mix of organic matter and fossils. This is a main factor in the abundant and exceptional petrified wood that comes from this area. It is mainly silicified by a very clear blue grey agate. This only shows in cracks in the wood but it makes for excellent cell preservation in the wood tissue. The wood when petrified often looks exactly as it did when it was alive or ont the ground the forest.
[Ariel Duplant 2010]


Quartz
USA
Oregon, Linn Co.

Quartz v. agate, 10cm wide	© Russell G. Rizzo

Quartz v. carnelian agate, 16cm wide	©

Quartz
USA
Oregon, Linn Co. Chandler Mountain

Quartz var. chalcedony 12cm wide	©

Quartz var. chalcedony (carnelian) 9cm wide	©

Quartz var. chalcedony (carnelian) 10cm wide	©

Quartz var. chalcedony (carnelian) 12cm tall	©

Quartz var. chalcedony (carnelian) 15cm tall	©

Quartz var. chalcedony (carnelian) 12cm wide wide	©

Chandler Mountain lies just south of Sweehome, OR and is centered amongst the nations second largest petrified wood deposit next to Northern Arizona. The Hollywood ranch lies at the base of the Mtn. made famous by a visit by Kristen gum and her Travel Channel show "Cash & Treasures". The petrified wood at the base of the Mtn. is everywhere. At the top of the relatively flat top mtn. is an enormous agate deposit. At the center of this deposit is the carnelian beds. Most of the large pieces that I have self collected from that location are among the best found in the entire country. This area has been dug heavily from the 60"s thru the 80"s. It died down a bit in the 90"s but I have been up there the past 8 years or so and It still produces beautiful large carnelian specimens. This is one of the largest and prolific producers of carnelian agate ever within the US. It is currently closed access on private timber land. You have to hike in 2.5 miles uphill to get to it. Nobody really goes up there any more due to access restrictions. It used to be open to rock clubs and whoever back in the 80’s but ever since Weyerhaeuser bought up most of the timberland in the area they are not friendly to rock and mineral collectors. I will continue to upload some of the better pieces that I have found. This is a special agate because unlike MOST of the carnelian from Brazil and India is heat treated or dyed, Chandler mtn. carnelian is completely natural with its bright coloration. There is a rich red iron clay deposit overlying the center of the agate beds which extend along the northern ridge of Chandler mtn. The deposits down hill from this area get their color from this. If you go along the ridge in any other direction the agate becomes clear. It is of important note that this is a banded agate and often forms in botryodial pockets with tube and stalactite formations very common. These can be covered in druze quartz or smooth botryodial surfaces.
[Ariel Duplant 2010]


Quartz
USA
Oregon, Malheur Co., Graveyard Point

Quartz v. petrified wood, 4.5cm	© Danny Jones

Quartz v. petrified wood, 20cm wide	© Danny Jones

Quartz v. agate, 5.5cm	© Don Volkman 2/24/08

This locality is well known for a particular type of agate and we don't even have a picture of it here to show you. Please someone upload so good pictures of it.


Quartz
USA
Oregon, Morrow Co., Opal Butte

Quartz v. fire opal, 3cm wide	© 2006 Peter Cristofono

Quartz v. opal, 4.8cm wide	© JSS

Quartz v. fire opal, 13cm tall	© Sarah Sudcowsky

The fire opal from this locality gets much better than the examples we currently have to show you. Some of the best ones can be seen in the Rice museum in Hillsbrough, Oregon. A lot of the opal found here is quite clear with not very intense fire, or at least as not as intense as some of the better specimens from Virgin Valley, Nevada or some of the Australian localities.
[Rock Currier 2009]


Quartz
USA
Oregon, Sherman Co., Biggs

Quartz v. Biggs jasper, 15cm wide	© Crater Rock Museum

Jasper from this locality can be very attractive and there are several localities that produced this material. Many of them have been worked quite hard, and to dig good material today would require a lot of work.


Quartz
USA
Pennsylvania, Allegheny Co., Pittsburgh

Quartz, ~3cm wide	©

Quartz
USA
Pennsylvania, Delaware Co.

Quartz v. amethyst, 6.5cm tall	© Joseph Polityka

Quartz, amethyst 4cm wide	© 2002 John H. Betts

Quartz
USA
Pennsylvania, Berks Co., Kirbyville

Quartz xl, 6.8cm long	© Rob Lavinsky

Quartz
USA
Pennsylvania, Chester Co., Pocopson Township, Pocopson Township

Quartz v. amethyst, 2.5cm wide	© M.Heintzelman

Quartz
USA
Pennsylvania, Delaware Co., Chester Township, Chester

Quartz v. amethyst, ~9cm wide	© J.N.Wingard

Quartz v. amethyst, ~8cm wide	© J.N.Wingard

Quartz
USA
Pennsylvania, Delaware Co., Chester Township, Shaw and Esrey's Quarry

Quartz v. amethyst, 9.2cm wide	© Rob Lavinsky

Quartz/amethyst scepter, 5.8cm	© Rob Lavinsky

Quartz
USA
Pennsylvania, Delaware Co., Upper Providence Township, Media

Quartz v. amethyst, 8cm wide	© M.Heintzelman

Quartz
USA
Pennsylvania, Delaware Co., Upper Providence Township, Media, Blue Hill

Quartz, 3.5cm tall	© Rob Lavinsky

Quartz, 6.7cm wide	© Rob Lavinsky

This is an old locality that has produced few if any specimens during the last 50 years. You sometimes see them in old eastern collection and the specimens are never large. I suspect that they were never very abundant.


Quartz
USA
Pennsylvania, Montgomery Co., Upper Merion Township, Henderson Station

Quartz, 4.5cm wide	© M.Heintzelman

Quartz
USA
Pennsylvania, Montgomery Co., Upper Providence Township, Collegeville

Quartz v. amethyst, 7cm wide	© M.Heintzelman

Quartz v. amethyst, 8.5cm long	© M.Heintzelman

Quartz
USA
Rhode Island

Quartz after? ~7cm wide	©

Quartz
USA
Rhode Island, Providence Co., Burrillville, Oakland, State Route 102 road cut

Quartz v. amethyst, 3.8cm wide	© Rob Lavinsky

Quartz
USA
Rhode Island, Providence Co., Lincoln, Lime Rock, Dexter Quarry (Dexter Lime Quarry)

Quartz xls, 12cm wide	© Michael W. Kieron

Quartz
USA
Rhode Island, Providence Co., Cumberland, Diamond Hill

Quartz after Barite? 9cm tall	© 2001 John H. Betts

Quartz
USA
Rhode Island, Providence Co., Pawtucket

Quartz xl on Fluorite, 7.5cm wide	© 2008 Peter Cristofono

Quartz
USA
Rhode Island, Washington Co., Hopkinton

Quartz v. amethyst scepter, 4.1cm tall	© Rob Lavinsky

Quartz v. amethyst scepter, 4cm tall	© Rob Lavinsky

Quartz
USA
Rhode Island, Washington Co., Hopkinton, Ashaway Village

Quartz v. amethyst scepter, 5.3cm tall	© Rob Lavinsky

Quartz v. amethyst scepter, 3cm tall	© Russell G. Rizzo

Quartz v. amethyst, 7.5cm long	© 2008 J. Zolan

Quartz v. amethyst scepter, 4.2cm	© Henry Minot 2009

Quartz, 11cm tall	© 2001 John H. Betts

Quartz/amethyst, 15cm wide	© 2000 John H. Betts

Quartz
USA
South Carolina, Abbeville Co., Antreville, Diamond Hill Quartz Mine

Quartz, 11cm wide	© 2007 Steve Bonney

Quartz, 8.5cm wide	© 2007 Steve Bonney

Quartz, 9cm wide	© 2007 Steve Bonney

Quartz, 6cm wide	© 2007 Steve Bonney

Quartz v. amethyst, 6cm wide	© Russell G. Rizzo

Quartz v. amethyst, 5cm wide	© Russell G. Rizzo

Quartz
USA
South Carolina, Abbeville Co., Due West, Ellis-Jones Mine

Quartz v. amethyst 11.5cm wide	© Rob Lavinsky

Quartz v. amethyst, 11cm tall	© Rob Lavinsky

Quartz v. amethyst, 10.6cm wide	© Rob Lavinsky

Quartz v. amethyst, 6cm wide	© 2002 John H. Betts

Quartz v. amethyst, 18cm wide	© Rob Lavinsky

Quartz v. amethyst, 11.6cm wide	© Rob Lavinsky

Smoky Quartz, 8cm	© Dan & Diana Weinrich Minerals

Quartz v. amethyst 8.3cm wide	© Rob Lavinsky

Quartz
USA
South Carolina, Anderson Co., Iva

Quartz v. amethyst, 7cm tall	© Rob Lavinsky

Quartz
USA
South Dakota, Custer Co., Teepee Canyon

Quartz v. agate, 5cm wide	© Stephen E. Fritz

Quartz
USA
South Dakota, Lawrence Co., Lead District, Homestake Mine

Quartz scepter, 16.9cm tall	© Rob Lavinsky

Quartz, 5.6cm tall	© Rob Lavinsky

The Homestake mine was a longtime gold mine that was never much know for producing any mineral specimens, but you can see that it did produce some.


Quartz
USA
Texas, Brewster Co., Terlingua Creek

Quartz v. petrified wood, 9.5cm wide	© Danny Jones

Quartz v. petrified wood, 6.7cm wide	© Danny Jones

Quartz v. petrified wood, 13cm wide	© Danny Jones

Quartz
USA
Texas, Brewster Co., Alpine, Woodward Ranch

Quartz v. "pumpkin ball", 11cm wide	© Bruce T. Mitchell

Quartz v. "pumpkin ball", 10cm wide	© Bruce T. Mitchell

Quartz v. pumpkin ball, 5cm wide	© Bruce T. Mitchell

Chalcedony after calcite, 5.5cm	© Bruce T. Mitchell

Chalcedony after calcite, 3.5cm	© Bruce T. Mitchell

The Woodward Ranch is famous for its fine plume agates. I hope someone will upload some pictures of good examples so we can show them to you here.


Quartz
USA
Texas, Llano Co.

Quartz ~4cm wide	©

Quartz
USA
Texas, Reeves Co.

Quartz after calcite, ~5cm wide	©

Quartz
USA
Utah, Beaver Co., Tushar Mts

Quartz, smoky/amethyst 3.5cm tall	© Chris Tucker

Quartz, smoky/amethyst, 3cm tall	© Chris Tucker

Quartz, 4cm tall	© Chris Tucker

Quartz
USA
Utah, Beaver Co., Wah Wah Mts

Quartz, 9.3cm tall	© Rob Lavinsky

Quartz, 4.9cm wide	© Rob Lavinsky

Quartz
USA
Utah, Garfield Co., Circle Cliffs, Lone B Mine

Quartz v. petrified wood, 20cm??	© R. Barney

Quartz
USA
Utah, Grand Co., Cisco

Quartz v. chalcedony, 17cm wide	© R. Barney

Quartz
USA
Utah, Grand Co., Moab

Quartz after barite, 2.8cm wide	© Rob Lavinsky

Quartz
USA
Utah, Tooele Co., Dugway Range, Dugway Mountains District

Quartz geode, 8.2cm	© Russell G. Rizzo

Quartz, drawing of a micro specimen	© Saul Krotki 2005

Quartz, 2.5cm wide	© Danny Jones

Quartz
USA
Utah, Juab Co., East Tintic Mts, Tintic District, Shoebridge Mine

Quartz, 6.3cm long	© John W Matson Jr.

Quartz
USA
Utah, Kane Co.

Quartz, v. petrified wood, 22cm wide	© Danny Jones

Quartz
USA
Utah, Millard Co.

Quartz v. petrified wood, 21.4cm wide	© Danny Jones

Quartz
USA
Utah, Sevier Co., Sevier Canyon

Quartz v. agate & calcite, 10cm	© R. Barney

Quartz, v. agate, 19cm wide	© 2008 R. Barney

Quartz
USA
Utah, Summit Co., Woodland, Woodland Quarry

Quartz v. chalcedony after coral, 7.5cm long.	© Rockpick

Quartz
USA
Utah, Tooele Co., Deep Creek Mts, Gold Hill District (Clifton District), Gold Hill, Gold Hill Mine (Western Utah Mine)

Quartz xls with twin, 6.5cm wide	© Rob Lavinsky

Quartz
USA
Utah, Tooele Co., Oquirrh Mts, Ophir District, Ophir Hill area, Hidden Treasure Mine (Sacramento; Chicago)

Drusy quartz on Aurichalcite, 9.3cm tall	© Rob Lavinsky

Quartz
USA
Utah, Wayne Co., Notem Bench

Quartz v. petrified wood, 16.5 cm wide	© R. Barney

Quartz
USA
Vermont, Grand Isle Co., South Hero, Lessor Quarry

Quartz, ~3cm wide	©

Quartz
USA
Vermont, Rutland Co., Mount Tabor, Devil's Den

Quartz, 7cm wide	© 2005 Peter Cristofono

Quartz
USA
Virginia, Amelia Co., Winterham, Morefield Mine (Morefield Pegmatite)

Quartz ~7cm wide

Quartz
USA
Virginia, Amherst Co.

Quartz v. amethyst, 4cm tall	© Russell G. Rizzo

Quartz
USA
Virginia, Lynchburg Co., Lynchburg, Virginia Greenstone Company Quarry

Quartz v. amethyst, 9.5cm wide	© Rob Lavinsky

Quartz
USA
Virginia, Prince Edward Co., Rice

Quartz v. amethyst, 3.9cm wide	© Rob Lavinsky

Quartz v. amethyst, 6.9cm tall	© Rob Lavinsky

Quartz
USA
Washington, Cowlitz Co., Kalama area, Roadcuts

Quartz v. chalcedony, 4.8cm wide	© JSS

Quartz
USA
Washington, Kittitas Co., Vantage area

Quartz v. petrified wood, 18.4cm wide	© Paul De Bondt

Quartz
USA
Washington, Lewis Co., Logan Hill, Lucas Creek

Quartz v. agate/carnelian, ~.4kg	© 2008 AlienTaste.com

Quartz v. agate/carnelian, ~1kg	© 2008 AlienTaste.com

Quartz v. agate, 5.5cm wide	© Don Volkman 2/24/08

Quartz
USA
Washington, King Co., Denny Mountain

Quartz/amethyst scepters, ~15cm wide	©

Quartz/amethyst scepters, ~12 cm wide	©

Amethyst scepters, 5.4cm	© Rob Lavinsky

Quartz/amethyst scepters, 9.5cm wide	© Rob Lavinsky

Quartz/amethyst scepter, 3.2cm tall	© Rob Lavinsky

Quartz "raspberry" scepters ~3cm tall	©

Quartz "raspberry" scepter, 5cm tall	©

Two Quartz twins, ~2cm wide	©

Quartz, ~5cm wide	©

Smoky Quartz, 8.5cm tall	© Rob Lavinsky

Quartz with twin, ~4cm wide	©

Quartz with twins, ~7cm wide	©

Quartz with twin, ~6cm wide	©

Quartz twin, ~8cm wide	©

Quartz with twin, ~30cm	©

Quart twins & Siderite, ~4cm wide	©

Quartz "raspberry" scepter, ~15cm tall	©

Quartz/amethyst, ~22 cm wide	©

From the variety of fine quartz specimens that this locality has produced it is easy to understand why is was such a popular collecting site for collectors. The "raspberry" scepters were probably the most sought after specimens that the locality produced, but who could resist the fine Quartz Japan law twins that the locality produced? Some of the specimens pictured here were as good as they got.
[Rock Currier 2009]


Quartz
USA
Washington, King Co., Goldmyer Hot Springs

Quartz, ~6cm tall	© Steve Satra

Quartz
USA
Washington, King Co., Goldmyer Hot Springs, Pedro Claim

Quartz, ~5cm wide	©

Quartz with twins, ~4cm wide	©

Quartz
USA
Washington, King Co., Goldmyer Hot Springs, Spruce Claim (Spruce Ridge)

Quartz & Pyrite, 6cm	© 2001 John H. Betts

Quartz twin, ~6cm wide	©

Quartz/amethyst scepters ~6cm wide	©

Quartz & dirt?~3.5cm wide	©

Quartz, the largest ~6cm tall	© Joseph A. Freilich

Quartz, ~7cm wide	©

Quartz & Pyrite, ~11cm wide	©

Quartz & Pyrite, ~6cm wide	©

The locality is most famous for fine clusters of prismatic Quartz crystals associated with bright shiny cubic pyrite. Some of the quartz showed sceptered ends, and that only increased their appeal. Whole summers were spent by teams of collectors working like trolls often hanging from ropes on the canyon sides in order to work. But when you can collect specimens like this, it is worth it.
[Rock Currier 2009]


Quartz
USA
Washington, King Co., North Bend, Bald Hornet Claim (Blue Mountain Saddle)

Quartz twin & Tourmaline, ~7cm wide	©

Two Quartz twins, ~5cm wide	©

The classic specimens from this locality featured fine clear shiny Japan law twinned quartz crystals associated with tufts of fibrous black tourmaline.


Quartz
USA
Washington, King Co., North Bend, Devils Canyon area

Quartz twin, ~3.5cm wide	©

A very steep canyon often slick with seeping water and moss growing on rocks. You really needed ropes to work parts of this canyon and always there was danger from falling rocks. You could work for two or three days and not come away with a good Japan law twinned quartz like the one shown here.
[Rock Currier 2009]


Quartz
USA
Washington, King Co., North Bend, Green Mountain, Bessemer Ridge

Quartz after epidote, 8cm tall	© Rob Lavinsky

Back in the 60s Bart Cannon broke into a large pocket of these interesting specimens and collected two or three hundred of them. But like so many other similar finds, you rarely see one for sale today.
[Rock Currier 2009]


Quartz
USA
Washington, King Co., North Bend, Mount Teneriffe

Quartz twin, 2cm wide	© 2003 John H. Betts

Quartz xls. with twin, ~9cm wide	©

Quartz twins on matrix, ~9cm wide	©

Quartz twins, ~6cm wide	©

Quartz twins on matrix, ~9cm tall	©

Quartz twin on matrix, ~5cm tall	©

Quartz twin on matrix, ~6cm wide	©

Quartz, ~7cm wide	©

Quartz twin on matrix, ~5cm wide	©

Quartz
USA
Washington, King Co., Snoqualmie District, Middle Fork of the Snoqualmie River

Quartz, ~7cm wide	©

Quartz twin, ~6cm wide	©

Quartz including? ~6cm tall	©

Quartz including ?, ~6cm tall	©

Quartz scepter, ~2.4cm tall	©

Quartz with phantom, ~3cm tall	©

Quartz scepter ~9cm wide	©

Quartz
USA
Washington, King Co., Snoqualmie District, Snoqualmie Pass, Denny Creek

Quartz & twins, 6.4cm	© Rob Lavinsky

Quartz, 9cm wide	© DM 07

Quartz
USA
Washington, Skagit Co., Mount Vernon, Walker Valley

Quartz, 7cm tall	© 2007 ROM

Quartz, 9cm wide	© 2007 ROM

Quartz
USA
Washington, Yakima Co., Mount Adams, Mount Adams area

Quartz v. petrified wood, 34cm wide	©

Quartz v. petrified wood, 17.5cm wide	© Paul De Bondt

Quartz
USA
Wyoming, Natrona Co., Granite Mountains, Split Rock

Quartz xl, 4.5cm tall	© Martins da Pedra

Quartz xl., 3cm wide	© Martins da Pedra

Quartz
USA
Wyoming, Park Co., Yellowstone National Park

Quartz v. amethyst on agate, 24cm wide	©

Quartz
USA
Wyoming, Sweetwater Co.

Quartz v. petrified wood, 7.2cm wide	© Danny Jones

Quartz v. petrified wood, 2.7cm	© Danny Jones

Quartz v. petrified wood, 8.5cm	© Danny Jones

Quartz v. petrified wood, 10cm wide	© Danny Jones

Quartz v. petrified wood, 12cm wide	© Danny Jones

Quartz v. petrified wood, 12cm wide	© Danny Jones

Quartz v. petrified wood, 10.9cm wide	© Danny Jones

Click here to view Quartz, Alabama to California here for Quartz from Colorado to Montana here for Quartz from Nebraska to Oklahoma here for Quartz, Oregon to Wyoming, here for Best Minerals Quartz and here for Best Minerals A to Z and here for Fast Navigation of completed Best Minerals articles.]]> Rock Currier Best Minerals - Quartz Fri, 26 Apr 2013 14:54:11 +0000 http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,95,292301,292301#msg-292301 http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,95,292301,292301#msg-292301 Quartz, Alabama to California here for Quartz from Colorado to Montana here for Quartz from Nebraska to Oklahoma here for Quartz, Oregon to Wyoming, here for Best Minerals Quartz and here for Best Minerals A to Z and here for Fast Navigation of completed Best Minerals articles.


Can you help make this a better article? What good localities have we missed? Can you supply pictures of better specimens than those we show here? Can you give us more and better information about the specimens from these localities? Can you supply better geological or historical information on these localities? After each set of pictures there should be some descriptive text. If none appears it means that we need someone to tell us about the specimens from that locality and something about the geology of the occurrence.

This is a continuation of the Best Minerals, Quartz, USA. These fields will only accommodate about 60,000 characters so the article had to be split up into more than one thread. As localities and more and better images are added this article will need to be split into further threads until it is decided to move them to a format that can accommodate more characters or perhaps a database format.
[Rock Currier 2009]


Quartz
USA
Nebraska, Dawes Co.

Quartz after Gypsum, 4.4cm wide	© Rob Lavinsky

Quartz after Gypsum, 4cm wide	© Rob Lavinsky

Quartz after Gypsum, 11cm wide	© Dan Weinrich

Nebraska is probably the most mineralogically challenged states in the country, perhaps rivaled in its paucity of specimens only by Hawaii or Puerto Rico. These Quartz pseudomorphs after Gypsum are not unique because they are found at other localities, but I thought they were pretty cool and worth of inclusion here in Best Minerals.
[Rock Currier 2009]


Quartz
USA
Nebraska, Gage Co., Holmesville

Quartz, 5.5cm wide	©

Quartz
USA
Nevada, Elko Co., Independence Mountains District, Murray mine

Drusy Quartz on Barite, 11.4 cm	© Rob Lavinsky

Drusy Quartz on Barite, 9.5cm wide	© Rob Lavinsky

These might fit better in the calcite section, but the sparkling drusy quartz coating on the calcite crystals make them attractive and since drusy gems are now in fashion I thought what the hell....
[Rock Currier 2009]


Quartz
USA
Nevada, Elko Co., Jackpot

Quartz, v. picture jasper, 23cm wide	© Crater Rock Museum

I know I will catch hell from the mineral collecting purists for including something like this in Best Minerals, but the general public finds such things fascinating, so I am including it as well as a lot of other cut and polished agates etc here. I wish I had a real hard line lapidary agate nut that would help me stick a bunch of good agates and other lapidary items here in Best Minerals. Let me know if you would like to help.
[Rock Currier 2009]


Quartz
USA
Nevada, Humboldt Co., Potosi District, Getchell sec. 5 pit (Marshall Canyon mine)

5.5cm Quartz xl on matrix	© Keith Wood, 2005

Quartz, 2cm wide	© Keith Wood, 2005

Quartz
USA
Nevada, Humboldt Co., Virgin Valley District

Quartz/opal after pine cone, 3.8cm tall	© Don Volkman 12/07

Quartz v. precious opal, 7.6cm wide	© Rob Lavinsky

Quartz v. precious opal, 4.6cm wide	© Rob Lavinsky

Quartz v. precious opal, 6.6cm	© Rob Lavinsky

Quartz v. precious opal, 6.5cm tall	© Rob Lavinsky

Fire opal has been dug at Virgin Valley for at least 100 years and fine examples of it have sold for thousands of dollars. Unfortunately the opal from this locality, thought it is often displays fabulous colors, is not very stable and has the reputation of cracking if left out of water or oil for a long time. Most of the fire opal has been found as replacements of limb casts, but other fossilized material has also been found converted to fire opal. Back in the 1960s there was a well known jeweler/rock shop in the Phoenix, Arizona called Hodson's after the owners name. He owned property or had claims in the Virgin Valley, Nevada area where they periodically mined for fire opal. In the store they had a fairly good size fish tank and in the bottom of the tank on the gravel floor, they kept a number of fist size limb casts of fire opal from their mines. It was a great way to display them and it also helped to preserve them from cracking.
[Rock Currier 2009]


Quartz
USA
Nevada, Mineral Co., Fitting District, Gillis Range, Zapot pegmatite

Smoky Quartz, 6cm tall	© DM 06

Quartz
USA
Nevada, Nye Co., Manhattan District

Stibnite in Quartz, 7.3cm tall	© Rob Lavinsky

Quartz
USA
Nevada, Pershing Co.

Quartz v. petrified wood, 15cm wide	© Danny Jones

Quartz
USA
Nevada, Pershing Co., Antelope District, Lovelock, Trinity Mts.

Stibnite/Stibiconite in Quartz, 2.4cm	© Rob Lavinsky

Stibnite in Quartz, 4.4cm	© Rob Lavinsky

This locality has produced a few crystals of quartz containing inclusions of stibnite, but they are few and far between and never plentiful. Also the crystals are rarely more than an inch or two in length. In some of the crystals, the stibnite has been altered or partially altered to other antimony minerals. At the Bottomley Prospect which may be were the crystal pictured here came from, Scott Klein of Great Basin Minerals spent several days digging a trench .7x5x2 meters and for his trouble recovered "several dozen" quartz crystals between two and three cm long with stibnite and altered stibnite minerals included in clear quartz. That makes for some pretty expensive little quartz crystals. I don't think he has returned to dig there again.
[Rock Currier 2009]


Quartz
USA
Nevada, Pershing Co., Star District, Bloody Canyon Mine

Stibnite/Valentinite in Quartz, 5cm tall	© Rob Lavinsky

Quartz
USA
Nevada, Storey Co.,Comstock District

Quartz v. amethyst, 8.5cm wide	© Russell G. Rizzo

Quartz
USA
Nevada, Washoe Co., Petersen Mountain

Quartz, 12.5cm wide	© Arliguie M

Quartz scepter, largest ~7cm tall	©

Petersen mountain is right on the state line between California and Nevada and fine smoky/amethyst scepters have been found on both sides of the line. The mountain has been dug on by amateur collectors and commercially for a long time. There have been many claims filed on various portions of the mountain and some of the claims like the Crystal Tips No.1 actually is right on the border of California and claim papers have apparently been filed in both states. Currently mining regulations make mining in Nevada more congenial than in California so the two commercial digs that are currently intermittently operating are working on the Nevada side of the mountain. I don't think it really makes any difference to collectors exactly where on the mountain any particular specimen came from, nor is there any practical way of knowing or maintaining the provenance of each specimen. Recently a very fine large scepter was mined that was at least a foot long with a great big fat mostly smoky scepter sitting on a long slender quartz crystal. Some people would murder their grand mother to get their hands on a specimen like that.
[Rock Currier 2009]


Quartz
USA
Nevada, Washoe Co., Petersen Mountain, Crystal Tips No. 1 pit

Quartz scepter	© John Cornish

Quartz
USA
Nevada, Washoe Co., Petersen Mountain, Hallelujah Junction, Royal Scepter Mine

Quartz scepter, 6.7cm	© Rob Lavinsky

Quartz scepter, 10.2cm tall	© Joseph A. Freilich, LLC

Quartz
USA
Nevada, Washoe Co.Petersen Mountain, Petersen Mountain Quartz Mines

Quartz v. amethyst scepter, 9cm tall	© Russell G. Rizzo

Smoky Quartz scepter, 9.5cm tall	© Rob Lavinsky

Quartz
USA
New Hampshite, Carroll Co., Albany

Quartz, 7.5cm tall	© Henry Minot 2009

Smoky Quartz xl, 3.3cm tall	© 2005 Peter Cristofono

Quartz
USA
New Hampshire, Carroll Co., Albany, Government Pit (Government Gravel Pits)

Smoky Quartz on Albite, Orthoclase, 6.6cm	© Henry Minot 2008

Quartz
USA
New Hampshire, Carroll Co., Bartlett, North Moat Mt. locality

Smoky quartz, 7.9cm wide	© Rob Lavinsky

Smoky Quartz, 9cm	© 2001 John H. Betts

Quartz, 5cm	© 2001 John H. Betts

Quartz on Albite, 5cm wide	© 2001 John H. Betts

Quartz
USA
New Hampshire, Carroll Co., Conway

Quartz, Microcline & Albite, 5.2cm	© Rob Lavinsky

Quartz with Microcline, 9cm wide	© Rob Lavinsky

Quartz on Microcline, 5.5cm	© Rob Lavinsky

Quartz, 8.9cm wide	© Rob Lavinsky

Quartz
USA
New Hampshire, Carroll Co., Hale's Location, Middle Moat Mt. locality

Smoky Quartz, 4.5cm	© 2000 John H. Betts

Quartz on Microcline, 9cm	© CTrebilcock 2008

Smoky Quartz, 4cm wide	© Jay Vonderhey

Quartz
USA
New Hampshire, Carroll Co., Ossipee

Quartz v. amethyst, 4.3cm tall	© Collectors Edge

Quartz
USA
New Hampshire, Cheshire Co., Westmoreland, Stoddard Mine

Quartz, 6cm wide	© 2007 Peter Cristofono

Quartz
USA
New Hampshire, Coos Co., Cambridge

Epidote on Quartz, 3.3cm wide	© 2005 Peter Cristofono

Epidote on Quartz, ~3.8cm wide	© Joseph A. Freilich

Quartz
USA
New Hampshire, Rockingham Co., Nottingham

Drusy red Quartz, 5cm wide	© 2007 Peter Cristofono

Quartz
USA
New Jersey, Passaic Co., Haledon, Braen Quarry (Sam Braen Quarry)

Quartz v. amethyst, ~22cm wide	© EAS 2007

Quartz v. agate nodule C&P, ~6cm wide	© EAS 2009

Agate and amethyst specimens are found from time to time in the quarries of the New Jersey trap rocks, but not often and not very good and even the best of them them seem rather pedestrian when compared to some of the really good localities that produce really fine examples of these minerals.


Quartz
USA
New Jersey, Passaic Co., Little Falls Township, Houdaille Quarry (Consolidated Stone and Sand Company Quarry; Consolidated Quarry)

Quartz after glauberite, ~8cm wide	© EAS 2007

Quartz @ glauberite 4cm	© John H. Betts

A number of quarries in the New Jersey trap rock area produce quartz casts after glauberite and they can be distinguished from anhydrite casts which are quite a bit more common by their diamond shaped cross sections. The ones pictured above are good, but better ones are shown below and some of them even have other minerals growing inside the casts. Good stuff, especially for pseudomorph collectors.
[Rock Currier 2009]


Quartz
USA
New Jersey, Passaic Co., Paterson

Hematite coated Quartz, 6.3cm wide	© Rob Lavinsky

Close up of specimen to left	© Rob Lavinsky

Quartz after anhydrite & Calcite, ~6cm wide	©

Quartz after Glauberite, ~7cm wide	©

Quartz
USA
New Jersey, Passaic Co., Paterson, Lower New Street quarry

Quartz after anhydrite, ~7cm wide	©

Quartz after glauberite & Chabazite, ~10cm wide	©

Quartz after glauberite, ~7cm wide	©

Quartz after anhydrite, ~12cm wide	©

Quartz
USA
New Jersey, Passaic Co., Paterson, Upper New Street Quarry (Burger's Quarry)

Hematite coated Quartz, 8.2cm wide	© Frank A. Imbriacco III

Quartz/amethyst & Chabazite, ~11cm wide	© EAS 2007

Quartz
USA
New Jersey, Passaic Co., Prospect Park, Prospect Park Quarry (Sowerbutt Quarry; Vandermade Quarry; Warren Brothers Quarry)

Quartz @ glauberite & Heulandite, 5cm	© Polityka

Quartz after glauberite, ~12cm wide	© EAS 2007

Quartz after glauberite with prehnite, ~7cm wide	©

Quartz after glauberite & Chabazite, ~9cm wide	©

Quartz
USA
New Jersey, Somerset Co., Watchung, Fanwood Quarry (Fanwood Stone Crushing and Quarry Co. Quarry; Fanwood Crushed Stone Co. Quarry; Scotch Plains Quarry; Weldon Quarry)

Quartz v. chalcedony, 10cm wide	© Frank A. Imbriacco III

Quartz
USA
New Jersey, Somerset Co., Bernards Township, Millington Quarry (Morris County Crushed Stone Co. Quarry; Tilcon Quarry)

Quartz/amethyst & Calcite, ~8cm wide	© EAS 2008

Quartz
USA
New Jersey, Union Co., Springfield, Houdaille Quarry (Summit Quarry; Commonwealth Quarry)

Quartz v. agate nodule (C&P) ~6cm wide`	© EAS 2009

Quartz
USA
New Mexico, Chaves Co., Pecos River Valley

Quartz, 1.2cm	© 2006 Peter Cristofono

Quartz, "Pecos diamond" ~1cm wide	© 07 David Aldridge

Quartz
USA
New Mexico, Eddy Co., Artesia

Quartz, pseudo cubic ~12mm wide	© aca

A fine example of a Pecos Diamond. "Pecos Diamonds" are quartz crystals that are found along the Pecos River valley, either weathered out of or still inside a selenite rock matrix of the Permian Seven Rivers formation in south-eastern New Mexico. They are authigenic quartz crystals that grew inside the matrix and not in a pocket. They come in different shapes and habits, this one is a "pseudocubic" quartz that is dominated by very large r-faces. It is not really a cube because the angles between the rhombohedral faces are not 90° but 85.2° and 94.8°, respectively, so the "cube" is slightly skewed. The edges of the crystal are 10-15mm long. Found and donated by John Kashuba.
[Amir Akhavan 2012]


Quartz
USA
New Mexico, Eddy Co., Seven Rivers

Quartz "Pecos diamonds" in matrix, ~4cm wide	© 2003 John H. Betts

Quartz
USA
New Mexico, Grant Co., Central District, Vanadium, Groundhog Mine

Quartz, 8cm wide	© 2001 John H. Betts

Quartz
USA
New Mexico, Grant Co., Steeple Rock District

Quartz v. amethyst, 3cm tall	© Rob Lavinsky

Quartz v. amethyst, 2.5cm wide	© SMS 2006

Quartz v. amethyst, 3.3cm wide	© jnemitz

Quartz
USA
New Mexico, Hidalgo Co., Yankee Dog Claim

Chalcedony desert rose, 11cm	© 2002 John H. Betts

Chalcedony desert rose, 6.5cm	© Rob Lavinsky

Chalcedony desert rose, 7cm	© Russell G. Rizzo

Quartz
USA
New Mexico, Lincoln Co.

Chalcedony desert rose, 9.6cm	© Rob Lavinsky

Chalcedony desert rose, 5cm	© Rob Lavinsky

Quartz
USA
New Mexico, Lincoln Co., Capitan District, El Capitan Mts, Mina Tiro Estrella

Smoky Quartz twin, ~11cm wide	©

Smoky Quartz twin on Albite? ~3cm wide	©

Smoky Quartz twin, ~4.5cm wide	©

Smoky Quartz twin, ~9cm wide	©

Smoky Quartz, 10cm tall	© Rob Lavinsky

Quartz twins, largest is ~4.4cm	© Rob Lavinsky

The Mina Tiro Estrella quartz locality has long been famous for producing some of North America's finest Japan-law twins. What sets the twins apart from many other localities is their smoky color, gem quality, mirror-like luster and pronounced striations on the flattened crystal faces. The twins were first found by Dick Jones in 1976 when he reportedly followed the directions of a hunter that had stumbled across some quartz float, including some Japan-law twins, in the Capitan Mountains during a deer/elk hunt. Dick Jones located the place where the twins had been discovered and filed several claims in the area. The problem was he intentionally recorded the claims a half mile further than their actual physical location to protect the property from claim-jumpers, including the claim with the majority of the quartz mineralization, the “Mina Tiro Estrella”. This gave Dick a chance to dig on the Mina Tiro Estrella unhindered and resulted in a major strike in 1978-1979. Many twins of the best quality were found, several of which are pictured here. By 1980 the word was out and other collectors were able to locate the claim and high-grade some fine twins from the diggings. Dick let the claims lapse soon after, and although other people re-filed the claim, not much more significant material has been produced since this time. NOTE: The Mina Tiro Estrella claim is currently under ownership and collecting is not allowed.

The Mina Tiro Estrella smoky quartz occurrence is hosted in a feldspar and quartz-rich granite called alaskite. The mineralization is present in the form of a brecciated vein consisting of alkali feldspar (albite/orthoclase) and quartz that supposedly coincides with a fault striking N48E and dipping 52degSW (I have not personally seen the fault). Most of the vein is covered by colluvium, but in places it can be found on the surface as quartz float. Much of the feldspar is decomposed to the point where it crumbles easily in the hands, even when encountered several feet under the surface of the vein outcrop. The vein opens up into pockets to about 10 cm, and very rarely to 25 cm, in which the quartz crystals (including many Japan Law twins) form along with allanite and small crystals of titanite. The hanging wall of the vein abuts against a clay layer of unknown thickness, and it is along this contact that many of the finest twins are found. Allanite is present in many of the small pockets as jet-black crystals up to 3 cm, but in many cases the crystals are metamict due to the presence of radioactive thorium. Small crystals of reddish-brown titanite up to 6 mm are present in these pockets, usually sprinkled upon the quartz/feldspar matrix and even a few of the quartz crystals themselves.

Smoky quartz crystals from Mina Tiro Estrella can be pale to dark smoky in color, but the vast majority of the crystals found are pale to medium smoky (most likely caused by natural radiation of thorium present in the allanite). Single prismatic crystals usually have not grown much larger than 4 cm (occasionally up to 7 cm) and exhibit the tessin habit. Japan-law twins are common. Most of the crystals have very pronounced striations running perpendicular to the C axis, and coupled with brilliant luster, make for very dazzling specimens. Occasionally crystals with a dull or matte luster are found, but these can be considered a minority. Surprisingly, the Japan-law twins are usually much larger (up to 10 cm on a side) than the regular tessin-style crystals. Back in the late 1970's and early 1980's Dick Jones marketed many very dark twins that nobody else has ever found, so some questions exist as to whether or not the color of these is completely natural.
[Philip Simmons 2013]


Quartz
USA
New Mexico, Lincoln Co., Sacramento Mountains, White Mountain Wilderness, Smoky Bear (Crystal; Bonita Crystal)

Smoky Quartz, 9.3cm wide	© Dan Weinrich, Inc.

Quartz, 5.5cm	© 2001 John H. Betts

The differences between Sierra Blanca and mina Tiro Estrella smoky quartz. (the Trio Estrella is the locality listed directly above.)
Information and mineral specimens from both localities often get mixed together, so I want to briefly address these common mix-ups. Both localities are within the boundary of the Lincoln National Forest, but Sierra Blanca is in the Sacramento Mountains while Mina Tiro Estrella is in the Capitan Mountains 30 miles to the ENE. To my knowledge only at Sierra Blanca has mineral collecting been forbidden by the Forest Service, and have smoky quartz crystals been confiscated from operations back in the 1980’s. I believe there has been a regulation of sorts against collecting here, but it is very rarely enforced. Mina Tiro Estrella has, for the majority of its existence, always been a valid claim and is still currently under claim although collecting is not permitted by the owner.

Concerning the specimens from each respective location, smoky quartz is commonly found from both places, but the similarities end there. Crystals from Mina Tiro Estrella are relatively small (singles to 7 cm, twins to 10 cm) and are generally twinned or of the tessin habit whereas the crystals from Sierra Blanca are all simple-prismatic and can get much larger (to 40 cm). Color of the Mina Tiro Estrella quartz is usually pale to medium smoky with very few dark crystals, while quartz from Sierra Blanca is usually medium to dark smoky with occasional pale crystals. Luster from both locales can be matte to brilliant, but striations on Mina Tiro Estrella specimens are much more pronounced. Japan law twins are found from Mina Tiro Estrella and not from Sierra Blanca. Very few accessory minerals are found along with the smoky quartz from Sierra Blanca, except for occasionally some white, colloform fluorite and very rarely mint-to-emerald green fluorite octahedrons. Major accessory minerals from Mina Tiro Estrella include white feldspar crystals (either albite or orthoclase), sharp, bladed crystals of black allanite, and small brownish-red titanite crystals.
[Philip Simmons 2013] Also see the entry directly above tor the Tiro Estrella "mine".



Quartz
USA
New Mexico, Luna Co., South Canyon

Agate nodules, Cut & Polished=(C&P), 7cm wide	© 0

Quartz v. agate nodule (C&P), 4cm wide	© 0

Quartz
USA
New Mexico, Luna Co., Baker Ranch

Agate nodules C&P	© Alan Goldstein

Agate nodule, Cut & Polished=C&P 5.5cm	© Antonio Borrelli

Quartz v. agate nodule, cut & polished	© Alan Goldstein

Agate nodules (C&P)	© Alan Goldstein

Quartz v. agate nodule C&P, 4.5cm wide	© Antonio Borrelli

Quartz v. agate nodule (C&P), 6cm wide	© Antonio Borrelli

Quartz v. agate nodule (C&P), 4cm wide	© 0

Quartz
USA
New Mexico, Luna Co. Deming

Chalcedony desert rose, 15.5cm wide	© Rob Lavinsky

UV image of specimen on left	© Rob Lavinsky

Quartz
USA
New Mexico, Luna Co., Dose District, Faywood Mine

Quartz after calcite, 8cm wide	© 2001 John H. Betts

Quartz
USA
New Mexico, Luna Co., Tres Hermanas District

Quartz, agate geode, ~4cm wide	© Rui Nunes 2008

Quartz
USA
New Mexico, Otero Co., Orogrande District

Drusy Quartz on Malachite, 3.8cm wide	© JSS

Quartz
USA
New Mexico, Santa Fe Co., New Placers District

Quartz, 8cm wide	© FL Murray

Quartz twin, 2.1cm wide	© Rob Lavinsky

Quartz
USA
New Mexico, Santa Fe Co., New Placers District, San Pedro Mine

Quartz xls with twins, 6.5cm wide	© Rob Lavinsky

Quartz
USA
New Mexico, Socorro Co., Hansonburg District, Bingham, Mex-Tex Mine

Quartz v. amethyst, 5.0cm wide	© Dan & Diana Weinrich Minerals

Quartz
USA
New Mexico, Socorro Co., Ladron District, Cascabel Mine

Quartz v. amethyst, 10.5cm wide	© Rob Lavinsky

Quartz
USA
New Mexico, Socorro Co., Magdalena District, Kelly Mine

Drusy Quartz after calcite? Quartz, 7.5cm wide	©

Quartz
USA
New York, Herkimer Co.

Quartz v. Herkimer, 5.5cm	© Kristalle and Crys

Quartz v. Herkimer, ~2.5cm	© Rob Lavinsky

Quartz, "Herkimer diamond"	© M.Adamowicz

Quartz v.Herkimer in matrix, 13.4cm	© Rob Lavinsky

The quartz crystals from the Herkimer County region of New York state have been known long before "white men" came to North America and indigenous people who lived in the region. Settlers found them in their fields and in the streams of the area and in time came to be know as Herkimer diamonds after a military officer and whose name was eventually given to the area of what is now Herkimer County, New York. The quartz crystals have been called herkimer diamonds because they are shiny and sparkly look like what the settlers thought a natural diamond might look like, though it is unlikely that any of them had ever seen a natural diamond crystal. Frequently they are doubly terminated and are found in cavities in the local limestone, more correctly dolostone. The region has been the happy hunting ground for field collectors for more than 100 years. Currently all the land in the area is either privately owned or property of the State of New York which frowns upon people digging big holes in their property, people still flock to the area to collect their pretty quartz crystals. There are several places where for a fee you can dig to your hearts content and if you are willing to work like convicts on a rock pile you can still on occasion find fine specimens. Over the years it has become increasingly difficult to find fine specimens, but the people keep coming. Almost all the specimens of crystal clusters that are sold to collectors. Almost all the crystals that are found are found as loose crystals and though at one time they may have grown together, time, the geological processes that take place in the ground and the mining processes act to break the crystal clusters apart and to get nice crystal clusters, the crystals must be carefully fitted back together and glued in place. Almost all the fine clusters of herkimer quartz that are know today have been made by carefully fitting the crystals back to gather. Given the great amount of hard hand labor that is needed to find these things today, there will never be any big quantity of them on the market, and the prices for the find examples of them will always be high. Sometimes the quartz crystals from this region can reach more than six inches in size, these large crystals are always full of cracks and never as perfect as many of the smaller crystals. A perfect transparent doubly terminated undamaged "diamond" of more than an inch is rare, and I don't think I have ever seen one larger than two inches and the ones that are larger than an inch often tend to have a slight smoky color. Sometimes the pockets in the limestone where the crystals are found will produce hundreds of small, many of them the size of rice grains. Although there is not much of a market for them, collectors carefully collect them up and sometimes you will see small glass bottles filled with hundreds or even thousands of these tiny brilliant doubly terminated quartz crystals. I have always wanted one of these bottles, but have never seen one for sale. Sometimes the quartz from this region has little black inclusions of some carbon based material and people have speculated that this may be one of the reasons for the particular brilliance and transparency of the quartz from this locality.
[Rock Curried 2009]

The largest perfect Herkimer Diamond I have seen came from the "Ace of Diamonds" area in the late 1950's. It was collected by Therm Baskin from New Jersey at that time. The crystal was completely flawless,doubly terminated,no inclusions.no carbon inside or out,no tiny or other attached crystals. It was the only crystal in a pocket the size of a 10 qt bucket. The crystal was nicely proportioned and about 4 inches in length. He was offered $10,000 dollars by the owner of the mine the day he found it. Smithsonian Museum also wished to acquire it at the time. Last time I saw the crystal it was still in his glass showcase at his house in the early 1960's. He always told me he had no intentions of ever selling it. Anyone know where it is today?
[Clifford Trebilcock 2012]

Quartz
USA
New York, Herkimer Co., Little Falls, Treasure Mountain Diamond mine

Quartz v. Herkimer, 2cm tall	© 2001 John H. Betts

Quartz scepter, 3.8cm wide	© 2001 John H. Betts

Quartz scepter, 1.4cm tall	© 2001 John H. Betts

Quartz
USA
New York, Herkimer Co., Town of Newport, Middleville

Quartz, "Herkimer diamond", 2cm	© 2001 John H. Betts

Quartz, "Herkimer diamond", 1.9cm	© 2001 John H. Betts

Quartz v.Herkimer" 5.9cm wide	© Rob Lavinsky

Quartz v. Herkimer diamond, 2.6cm wide	© Rob Lavinsky

Quartz v Herkimer in matrix, 7.9cm wide	© Rob Lavinsky

Quartz
USA
New York, Herkimer Co., Town of Newport, Middleville, Ace of Diamonds Mine

Quartz v. Herkimer diamonds, 9cm wide	© Rob Lavinsky

Quartz v. Herkimer diamond, 2cm	© Joseph A. Freilich

Quartz v. Herkimer diamond, 5.2cm wide	© Rob Lavinsky

Quartz v. Herkimer, 5.2cm	© 2008 Michael C. Roarke

Quartz "Herkimer diamonds" on Calcite, 12cm tall	© Rob Lavinsky

Quartz
USA
New York, Herkimer Co., Town of Newport, Middleville, Herkimer Diamond Mine (Herkimer Diamond Development)

Quartz v. Herkimer on matrix, 2cm	© MineralMovies.com

Quartz v. Herkimer, ~6.5cm wide	© Joseph Kapelewski

Quartz
USA
New York, Montgomery Co., Mohawk Township, Fonda

Quartz v. Herkimer diamonds, 10cm wide	©

Quartz
USA
New York, Montgomery Co., Mohawk Township, Fonda, Diamond Acres locality

Quartz v. Herkimer, 3.3cm wide	© 2001 John H. Betts

Quartz, 2.5cm	© 2001 John H. Betts

Quartz
USA
New York, Montgomery Co., St. Johnsville

Quartz v. Herkimer, 10cm wide	©

Quartz v Herkimer & Calcite, 6cm wide	© JAF, LLC

Quartz
USA
New York, St Lawrence Co., Chub Lake, Chub Lake Prospects

Quartz on Hematite? size unknown	© Joseph A. Freilich

Another picture of specimen on left	© Joseph A. Freilich

Quartz
USA
New York, St. Lawrence Co., Fowler

Quartz, 4.8cm tall	© Rob Lavinsky

Quartz
USA
New York, Ulster Co., Ellenville, Ellenville Mine (Ellenville Lead Mine; Ulster mine)

Quartz, 12.6cm tall	© Rob Lavinsky

This mine was closed in 1932 but was worked by Dutch settlers in the late 1600s and supplied lead for use in the revolutionary war. It has produced nice specimens of quartz and chalcopyrite but you rarely see them any more and when you do they are almost always rather heavily damaged.
[Rock Currier 2009]


Quartz
USA
New York, Warren Co., Lake George

Quartz, Herkimer type	© 2008 Peter Cristofono

Quartz
USA
North Carolina, Alexander Co., Hiddenite

Quartz, 7.7cm tall	© Rob Lavinsky

Quartz, 3cm wide	© Danny Jones

Quartz
USA
North Carolina, Avery Co., Spruce Pine District

Smoky Quartz, 8.1cm wide	© Rob Lavinsky

Quartz, 6cm wide	© Rob Lavinsky

Quartz
USA
North Carolina, Guilford Co., Oak Ridge

Quartz v. amethyst, 3.3cm wide	© Danny Jones

Quartz v. amethyst, largest is 3.4cm tall	© Rob Lavinsky

Quartz
USA
North Carolina, Iredell Co., Harmony

Smoky Quartz, 4cm wide	© 2001 John H. Betts

Quartz
USA
North Carolina, Iredell Co., Statesville

Quartz v. amethyst, 8cm wide	© Rob Lavinsky

Quartz v. amethyst, 7cm wide	© Rob Lavinsky

Quartz v. amethyst, 4.4cm wide	© Rob Lavinsky

Quartz v. amethyst, 7cm wide	© 2001 John H. Betts

Quartz
USA
North Carolina, Lincoln Co., Iron Station, Reel Mine

Quartz v. amethyst, 2.8cm tall	© Danny Jones

Quartz v. amethyst, 5.7cm wide	© Rob Lavinsky

Quartz v. amethyst, 4.7cm wide	© Danny Jones

Quartz v. amethyst	© Rob Lavinsky

Quartz, 4.9cm	© Rob Lavinsky

Quartz v. amethyst, 5.2cm wide	© Dan Weinrich Minerals

Quartz
USA
North Carolina, Mitchell Co., Spruce Pine District, Spruce Pine

Quartz v. opal, 3.5cm tall	© 2008 Michael C. Roarke

Quartz
USA
North Carolina, Union Co.

Quartz v. amethyst, 5.1cm tall	© Rob Lavinsky

Quartz
USA
Ohio, Huron Co., Monroeville, West Branch Huron River, Blue Bridge

© WS-2007

Quartz
USA
Ohio, Huron Co., Monroeville, West Branch Huron River, Blue Bridge

Quartz v. amethyst, 2.4cm wide	© WS-09

Quartz
USA
Oklahoma, McCurtain Co.

Quartz, 4.8cm tall	© Rob Lavinsky

Quartz, 6.6cm tall	© Dan & Diana Weinrich

Oklahoma is generally better know for the reddish colored Barite roses rather than its quartz crystals, but part of the same geological formation that produces the wonderful quartz crystals in Arkansas intrudes a bit into Oklahoma and the area produces some surprisingly fine quartz specimen. The big single point shown below is exceptional.
[Rock Currier]


Quartz
USA
Oklahoma, McCurtain Co., Broken Bow area

Quartz, 11.4cm wide	© Joseph A. Freilich

Click here to view Quartz, Alabama to California here for Quartz from Colorado to Montana here for Quartz from Nebraska to Oklahoma here for Quartz, Oregon to Wyoming, here for Best Minerals Quartz and here for Best Minerals A to Z and here for Fast Navigation of completed Best Minerals articles.]]> Rock Currier Best Minerals - Quartz Fri, 26 Apr 2013 14:53:39 +0000 http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,95,131700,282460#msg-282460 http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,95,131700,282460#msg-282460 Ferdinando Giovine Best Minerals - Quartz Thu, 17 Jan 2013 17:38:04 +0000 http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,95,131700,282410#msg-282410 http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,95,131700,282410#msg-282410 Rock Currier Best Minerals - Quartz Thu, 17 Jan 2013 12:13:38 +0000 http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,95,131700,282394#msg-282394 http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,95,131700,282394#msg-282394 www.mindat.org]

This is one of my samples from Chella]]> Ferdinando Giovine Best Minerals - Quartz Thu, 17 Jan 2013 06:03:27 +0000 http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,95,131700,282393#msg-282393 http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,95,131700,282393#msg-282393 @Amir: fantastic news! My next minerals trip will be Villasbuenas :-)]]> Ferdinando Giovine Best Minerals - Quartz Thu, 17 Jan 2013 06:00:51 +0000 http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,95,131700,282346#msg-282346 http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,95,131700,282346#msg-282346
Quartz
Spain
Salamanca, Castile and Leon, Spain [www.mindat.org]
Amistad mine (Margarita mine), Villasbuenas, Salamanca, Castile and Leon, Spain
which prodeced specimens like
[www.mindat.org]

I am not sure, but I think this a very old, "classic" citrine locality.]]> Amir C. Akhavan Best Minerals - Quartz Wed, 16 Jan 2013 21:33:48 +0000 http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,95,131700,282340#msg-282340 http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,95,131700,282340#msg-282340 Rock Currier Best Minerals - Quartz Wed, 16 Jan 2013 20:39:03 +0000 http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,95,131700,282314#msg-282314 http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,95,131700,282314#msg-282314 José Antonio Soldevilla Gonzalez Best Minerals - Quartz Wed, 16 Jan 2013 14:30:57 +0000 http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,95,131700,282311#msg-282311 http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,95,131700,282311#msg-282311 Rock Currier Best Minerals - Quartz Wed, 16 Jan 2013 14:11:17 +0000 http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,95,131700,282308#msg-282308 http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,95,131700,282308#msg-282308 my red quartz from Chella is better of your second pics ;-)]]> Ferdinando Giovine Best Minerals - Quartz Wed, 16 Jan 2013 13:25:49 +0000 http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,95,131700,282301#msg-282301 http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,95,131700,282301#msg-282301 There appear to be many fine "blue" quartz specimens in our database with the locality string: Antequera, Málaga, Andalusia, Spain. The images we have in our database from the Altura locality are of marginal quality for a Best Minerals article. Do you have better specimen in your collection? If so would you consider taking pictures of them an uploading them to our database?]]> Rock Currier Best Minerals - Quartz Wed, 16 Jan 2013 12:10:46 +0000 http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,95,131700,282296#msg-282296 http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,95,131700,282296#msg-282296 perhaps you sould considerate the Blue quartz occurrence A-23 Highway cut, Altura, Castellón for the article. For me is one of the best blue quartz world ocurrence.
Adrian]]> Adrián Pesudo Best Minerals - Quartz Wed, 16 Jan 2013 11:20:23 +0000 http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,95,131993,282092#msg-282092 http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,95,131993,282092#msg-282092 One of the larger pieces that came out of a pocket in 2010.

©

]]> Patrick Gundersen Best Minerals - Quartz Mon, 14 Jan 2013 12:23:19 +0000 http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,95,131698,280483#msg-280483 http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,95,131698,280483#msg-280483 Rock Currier Best Minerals - Quartz Fri, 28 Dec 2012 21:09:45 +0000 http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,95,131993,280432#msg-280432 http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,95,131993,280432#msg-280432 I added all the photos, with your copyright, but you may want to double check all the site pages and the quartz page: [www.mindat.org]]]> Ralph Bottrill Best Minerals - Quartz Fri, 28 Dec 2012 05:05:40 +0000 http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,95,131993,280428#msg-280428 http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,95,131993,280428#msg-280428 Nigel Richardson Best Minerals - Quartz Fri, 28 Dec 2012 04:40:23 +0000 http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,95,131993,280426#msg-280426 http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,95,131993,280426#msg-280426 Ralph Bottrill Best Minerals - Quartz Fri, 28 Dec 2012 03:52:14 +0000 http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,95,131993,280425#msg-280425 http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,95,131993,280425#msg-280425 Nigel Richardson Best Minerals - Quartz Fri, 28 Dec 2012 02:54:27 +0000