Pseudomorphs & Replacements Quartz

Click here to view Pseudomorphs & Replacements A & B. Click here to view Pseudomorphs & Replacements C. Click here to view Pseudomorphs & Replacements D to I. Click here to view Pseudomorphs & Replacements J to M. Click here to view Pseudomorphs & Replacements N to P. Click here to view Pseudomorphs & Replacements R to Z. Click here to view Best Minerals P, Click here to view and here for Best Minerals A to Z and here for Fast Navigation of completed Best Minerals articles.


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Included with the quartz pseudomorphs here are opal and chalcedony pseudomorphs after various minerals, fossils and crack fillings. These are listed below alphabetically by what ever it is they are after. Example: Quartz var. chalcedony after fossil wood will be listed with the Quartz after Fxxx pseudomorphs just before the Quartz after Galena pseudomorphs. Listing them this way keeps all the Quartz after fossils ofvarious plants and animals all grouped together.


Quartz after Analcime
USA
New Jersey, Passaic Co., Paterson




Quartz aftter Anhydrite with Gypsum
Brazil
Rio Grande do Sul




Quartz var amethyst after Anhydrite?
Brazil
Rio Grande do Sul



These amethyst geodes, or cathedrals as they are sometimes called are mined from flat laying basalt layers in Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil in large quantities. Perhaps a kiloton or two of them are produced each year. They are often cut in half and polished like this one is. Sometimes they have knobs and bumps and little stalactites of amethyst in them like this one. Sometimes they are said to be growing on what were at one time crystals of anhydrite but it is difficult to tell, unless you can see one of them broken open open or one that has been cut in half with a diamond saw. In some cases, these are found to be growing on prismatic calcite crystals. Here in Rio Grande, I think most of them may be formed after Anhydrite rather than Calcite. Other amethyst geodes, somewhat similar to these are mined from the basalts near Artigas, Uruguay, and these appear to be more commonly formed on calcite crystals. Stalactites from Uruguay are more common than Brazil. Most of the Uruguayan stalactites appear to have been formed on thin stringers of calcite?
[Rock Currier 2011]


Quartz after Anhydrite on amethyst
Brazil
Rio Grande do Sul, Alto Uruguai region, Iraí

Quartz @ Anhydrite on Quartz 7.7cm	© Weinrich

Quartz after Anhydrite
Brazil
Rio Grande do Sul, Alto Uruguai region, Iraí

Quartz after Anhydrite 9cm wide	© Brhounds

Quartz after Anhydrite?
USA
Colorado, San Juan Co., Silverton District, Silverton, Cunningham Gulch

Quartz after Anhydrite? 2.5cm tall	© Rob Lavinsky

Quartz after Anhydrite
USA
Connecticut, Hartford Co., East Granby, Roncari quarry (Tilcon quarry)

Quartz after Anhydrite, flip side of left	©

Quartz after Anhydrite
USA
Connecticut, Hartford Co., New Britain, Arute Field




Quartz after Anhydrite?
USA
Connecticut, New Haven Co., Southbury, O & G Southbury Quarry (Silliman Quarry; O & G No. 2 Quarry)




Quartz after Anhydrite with Calcite
USA
New Jersey, Passaic Co., Paterson



Quartz casts after anhydrite and glauberite are very common in the basalts of the Watchung Mountains in New Jersey and have been popular with collectors in the region for more than 100 years. One of the classic references to these and other trap rock minerals of the region is The Crystal Cavities of the New Jersey Zeolite region by Waldemar Theodore Schaller. It is an old 1932 United States Geological Survey Bulletin #832. Because of their proximity to densely populated urban areas, the Basalt quarries of New Jersey may have been responsible for creating more mineralogists and collectors than any other group of localities in the world. They have been producing specimens for perhaps 200 years and are still producing specimens today. Although their eminence for producing fine specimens has been somewhat diminished during the last 20 years because of the zeolites produced in huge quantities in the basalt quarries in the Deccan Traps in India.
[Rock Currier 2011]


Quartz after Anhydrite with Calcite & Laumontite
USA
New Jersey, Passaic Co., Prospect Park, Prospect Park Quarry (Sowerbutt Quarry; Vandermade Quarry; Warren Brothers Quarry)




Quartz after Apatite
Malawi
Zomba District, Mt Malosa




Quartz var. chalcedony after Apatite
USA
Utah, Iron Co., Iron Springs District (Iron and Granite Mountains & Three Peaks), Black Sallly Mine




Quartz after Apophyllite
USA
Idaho, Custer Co., Challis

Quartz after Apophyllite 16cm tall	© Chris Tucker

Quartz var. chalcedony after Aragonite
Argentina
Chubut, Paso de Indios, Valle de las Plumas

Quartz var. chalcedony @ Aragonite 5cm	© Lodovichi

Quartz after Aragonite
Hungary
Borsod-Abaúj-Zemplén Co., Zempléni Mts., Nyíri, Kandó Hill

Quartz after Aragonite FOV 1.5cm	© mesics gábor

Quartz @ Aragonite 7.5cm	© Adam Szilveszter, 2010

Quartz after Aragonite
Hungary
Borsod-Abaúj-Zemplén Co., Zempléni Mts., Telkibánya




Quartz var. chalcedony after Aragonite
USA
New Mexico, Luna Co., Cooks Peak District, Cooks Peak area




Quartz var. chalcedony after Aragonite
USA
Texas, Brewster Co., Needle Peak (Sierra Aguja)




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




Quartz after Baryte
France
Alsace, Haut-Rhin, Ste Marie-aux-Mines (Markirch), Grande Haldes




Quartz after Baryte
India
Maharashtra, Jalgaon District




Quartz after Baryte
Mexico
Zacatecas, Mun. de Concepción del Oro, El Cobre, Cobre Mine




Quartz after Barite
Morocco
Meknès-Tafilalet Region, Khénifra Province




Quartz afer Barite with Realgar
Peru
Huancavelica Department, Angaraes Province, Julcani District, Julcani Mine




Quartz after Barite
Romania
Maramures Co., Cavnic (Kapnic; Kapnik)




Quartz after Barite
Romania
Maramures Co., Cavnic (Kapnic; Kapnik), Cavnic Mine (Kapnikbánya)

Quartz after Barite 8.1cm wide	© Tamás Ungvári 2005

Quartz var. Chalcedony after Barite
Slovakia
Banská Bystrica Region, Štiavnica Mts, Hliník nad Hronom




Quartz after Barite
USA
Colorado, Mesa Co., Frutia

Quartz after Barite 1.8cm tall	© Rob Lavinsky

Quartz after Barite
USA
Colorado, Ouray Co., Silver Point Mine




Quartz after Barite
USA
Colorado, San Juan Co., Arastra, Cunningham Gulch, Highland Mary Mine




Quartz after Barite
USA
Colorado, San Juan Co., Silverton District, Silverton, Cunningham Gulch




Quartz after Barite
USA
Colorado, San Juan Co., Silverton District

Back side of left	© Rob Lavinsky

Quartz after Barite?
USA
Colorado, San Juan Co., Silverton District, Howardsville, Sunnyside Mine (American Tunnel; Mogul Mine; Washington Mine; Belle Creole; Gold Prince; Brenneman Mine; Sunnyside Mine Group)




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




Quartz after Barite
USA
Utah, Grand Co., Moab




Quartz after Barite
USA
Utah, Tooele Co., Oquirrh Mts, Tooele District




Quartz after Beta-quartz
Germany
Rhineland-Palatinate, Eifel Mts, Polch, Ochtendung, Wannenköpfe




Quartz var. chalcedony with hematite? after calcite?
Australia
Queensland, Etheridge Shire, Agate Creek




Quartz var. opal after Calcite after Ikaite
Australia
New South Wales, Yungnulgra Co., White Cliffs

Opal @ Calcite @ Ikaite ~9cm wide	©

Opal @ Calcite @ Ikaite ~7.5cm tall	©

These are often referred to as opal pineapples. The ones that show some fire are particular rare, hard to get and very expensive. I don't think any of the ones showing fire would all cost less than 10K each. These may be the most valuable and sought after pseudomorph by collectors.


Quartz var. chalcedony after Calcite
Austria
Carinthia, Friesach - Hüttenberg area, Hüttenberg




Quartz after Calcite septarin core (melicaria)
Brazil
Rio Grande do Sul

Another view of left	© Jasun McAvoy

Quartz after Calcite?
Brazil
Rio Grande do Sul, Alto Uruguai region

Quartz @ Calcite on Quartz 10.4cm	© Rob Lavinsky

Quartz after Calcite
Bulgaria
Plovdiv Oblast, Rhodope Mts, Laki (Luki), Djurkovo Complex, Droujba (Drujba) Mine

Quartz after Calcite 6cm wide	©

Quartz after Calcite?
Bulgaria
Smolyan oblast, Rhodope Mts, Madan ore field, Gradishte mine, Gradishte deposit




Quartz after Calcite on Fluorite
China
Hunan Province, Chenzhou Prefecture, Linwu Co., Xianghualing Sn-polymetallic ore field, Xianghualing Mine (Hsianghualing Mine)




Quartz after Calcite
France
Burgundy, Saône-et-Loire, Lucenay-l'Evêque, La Petite-Verrière, Voltennes mine




Quartz after Calcite?
Greece
Macedonia Department, Chalkidiki Prefecture, Cassandra Mines, Stratoni operations, Madem-Lakko Mine (Madem-Lakkos Mine; Madem Laccos Mine)




Quartz var. chalcedony after Calcite
Hungary
Heves Co., Mátra Mts., Gyöngyöstarján, Füledugó Quarry

Quartz var. chalcedony @ Calcite FOV 1.2cm	© Ungvári

Quartz after Calcite with Hematite
Hungary
Heves Co., Mátra Mts., Parádsasvár (Üveghuta), Béke adit




Quartz after Calcite
India
Maharashtra, Jalgaon District




Quartz after Calcite
India
Maharashtra, Mumbai District (Bombay District), Mumbai (Bombay), Ward 38, Malad




Quartz after Calcite
India
Maharashtra, Nasik District




Quartz after Calcite septarian core (melicaria)
Mexico
Chihuahua, Mun. de Julimes, Julimes



These are apparently fairly abundant, but they are not all that common because they don't bring a high price from collectors, and they require a lot of cleaning. The clay that fills their many cavities in these specimens requires a lot of work to remove. Before the advent of the little hand held high pressure fabric guns it would be nearly impossible to clean these specimen well.


Quartz after Calcite
Mexico
Guanajuato

Quartz after Calcite 8.5cm	© Rob Lavinsky

Quartz var. chalcedony after Calcite
Mexico
Sonora, Mun. de Nacozari de García




Quartz after Calcite
Morocco
Atlas Mts, High Atlas Mts, Ourika Valley




Quartz var. chalcedony after Calcite
Namibia
Namib Desert




Quartz var. chalcedony after Calcite
Namibia
Erongo Region, Usakos and Omaruru Districts, Erongo Mountain




Quartz after Calcite
Pakistan
Northern Areas, Baltistan




Quartz after Calcite
Romania
Maramures Co., Cavnic (Kapnic; Kapnik)

Quartz @ Calcite 12cm	© C.Thomson

Quartz afer Calcite 59cm wide	© R. Lang 2009

Quartz var. Chalcedony after Calcite
Slovakia
Banská Bystrica Region, Štiavnica Mts, Banská Štiavnica Mining District, Banská Štiavnica (Selmecbánya; Schemnitz), Banská Štiavnica Mines




Quartz after Calcite & Fluorite
Spain
Asturias, Siero, La Collada area, La Viesca mine




Quartz after Calcite
UK
England, Cornwall, Wadebridge District, Area West of Wadebridge, St Minver, Pentire Glaze Mine

Close up of left	© Weinrich Minerals, Inc.

Note the "dirt" on the specimen. The chances are that this specimen is an old one. The reason behind this assumption is that most specimens today are cleaned better than this one to increase their value. During the last ten or fifteen years, collectors and dealers did not have access to the little fabric guns that are so handy in cleaning the dirt off of specimens. Chances are that if this specimen was found today, a minute or two in front of one of these little high pressure water guns would immediately clean the dirt off of this specimen. Often, just by looking at the amount of dirt on specimens in collections will give you a clue about how old it is.
[Rock Currier 2011]


Quartz var. amethyst after Calcite
Uruguay
Artigas Department, Artigas

Quartz var. amethyst @ Calcite, bottom side of left	© Lavinsky

Quartz var. amethyst after Calcite 8.6cm tall	© fabreminerals

Quartz var. amethyst @ Calcite flip side	© fabreminerals

The various amethyst mines near the little town or Artigas in northern Uruguay have produced a lot of amethyst casts after Calcite. In some specimens, you can still see the calcite and I suppose if you put these in a solution of hydrochloric acid you could remove the calcite from them you could create your own casts after calcite. Some of them are really amazing, and are of course in demand by collectors.
[Rock Currier 2011]


Quartz after Calcite
USA
Arizona, Pima Co., Tohono O'odom (Papago) Indian Reservation

Back side of left	© Dan & Diana Weinrich Minerals

Quartz after Calcite
USA
Colorado, Ouray Co., Ouray District (Uncompahgre District)

Quartz after Calcite, flip side	© Rob Lavinsky

Quartz after Calcite, flip side	© Rob Lavinsky

Quartz after Calcite
USA
New Mexico, Luna Co., Jose District




Quartz after Calcite
USA
New Mexico, Luna Co., Jose District, Faywood Mine




Quartz after Calcite
USA
New Mexico, Sierra Co., Cuchillo Negro District, Prospectors Delight mine




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




Quartz var. chalcedony after Calcite
USA
Texas, Brewster Co., Alpine, Woodward Ranch




Quartz after Calcite
USA
Texas, Reeves Co.




Quartz after Danburite
Mexico
San Luis Potosí, Mun. de Charcas, Charcas

Quartz after Danburite 3.8cm tall	© Michael Roarke

Quartz after Datolite
UK
England, Devon, Dartmoor & Teign Valley District, Ilsington & Ashburton Area, Ilsington, Haytor Mine

Quartz after Datolite ~2.5cm across	©

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

Quartz after Epidote 9.4cm tall	© Peter Hargis

Quartz after Feldspar
USA
North Carolina, Rutherford Co.




Quartz after Fluorite
Morocco
Atlas Mts




Quartz after Fluorite?
Morocco
Marrakech-Tensift-El Haouz Region, El Kelaâ des Sraghna Province, Sidi Rahhal




Quartz after Fluroite
Morocco
Marrakech-Tensift-El Haouz Region, El Kelaâ des Sraghna Province, Sidi Rahhal




Quartz after Fluorite
Morocco
Oriental Region, Oujda-Angad Province, Touissit District, Touissit, Bou Bekker (Bou Becker)




Quartz var. chalcedony after Fluorite
Namibia
Karas Region, Blinkpan

Quartz var. chalcedony after Fluorite side view	© Lavinsky

Quartz after Fluorite
Peru
Huánuco Department, Dos de Mayo Province, Huallanca District, Huanzala Mine




Quartz var. chalcedony after Fluorite? Scheelite?
Portugal
Vila Real District, Cerva, Macieira




Quartz after Fluorite
Romania
Maramures Co.,Trestia

Quartz after Fluorite 5.2cm wide	©

Quartz after Fluorite
UK
England, Durham, North Pennines, Co. Weardale, Bollihope District




Quartz after Fluorite & Fluorite
UK
England, Durham, North Pennines, Co. Weardale, Westgate, Heights Quarry




Quartz after Fluorite
UK
England, Cornwall, Camborne - Redruth - St Day District, Gwennap, St Day United Mines (Poldice Mines), Wheal Gorland




Quartz var. chalcedony after Fluorite
UK
England, Cornwall, Liskeard District, Menheniot Area, Menheniot, Wheal Mary Ann

Quartz var. chalcedony @ Fluorite ~7.5cm wide	© J.Ralph

Quartz var. chalcedony @ Fluorite 7.5cm	© fabreminerals

Quartz after Fluorite
UK
England, Cornwall, St Austell District, Tywardreath, Fowey Consols (incl. Wheal Treasure; Wheal Fortune; Wheal Chance)




Quartz var. chalcedony after Fluorite
UK
England, Cornwall, St Just District, St Just, Kenidjack Valley, Wheal Drea




Quartz after Fluorite & Sphalerite & Galena
UK
England, Cumbria, North and Western Region (Cumberland)




Quartz after Fluorite
UK
England, Cumbria, North and Western Region (Cumberland)




Quartz after Fluorite
UK
England, Cumbria, North and Western Region (Cumberland), North Pennines, Alston Moor District, Nenthead, Rampgill Mine

Quartz after Fluorite ~7cm wide	© Steve Rust

Quartz after Fluorite
UK
England, Northumberland, North Pennines, West Allendale, Coalcleugh, Coalcleugh Mine




Quartz after Fluorite
USA
Colorado, Ouray Co., Ouray District (Uncompahgre District)




Quartz after Fluorite and ?
USA
Colorado, San Juan Co., Eureka District, Gladstone, Gladstone Mine




Quartz after Fluorite and Barite?
USA
Colorado, San Juan Co., Silverton District, Silverton, Genoa Claim




Quartz var. opal after fossil pinecone
Australia
New South Wales, Finch Co., Lightning Ridge




Quartz var. opal after fossil plant stem
Australia
New South Wales, Finch Co., Lightning Ridge




Quartz var. opal after fossil plant stems
Australia
New South Wales, Finch Co., Lightning Ridge, Coocoran Opal Fields




Quartz var. opal after fossil Hypsilophodontid dinosaur tooth
Australia
New South Wales, Finch Co., Lightning Ridge, Coocoran Opal Fields




Quartz var. opal after fossil bivalve mollusc shell
Australia
New South Wales, Finch Co., Lightning Ridge, Coocoran Opal Fields

Opal @ bivalve mollusc shell 2.1cm	© M Goodwin

Quartz var opal after fossil wood
Australia
New South Wales, Yungnulgra Co., White Cliffs




Quartz var. opal after fossil bivalve shell
Australia
South Australia, Andamooka Ranges - Lake Torrens area, Andamooka opal fields




Quartz var. opal after snail shell
Australia
South Australia, Andamooka Ranges - Lake Torrens area, Andamooka opal fields



Some collectors would murder their grandmother for one of these. These are very rare and I don't think I have ever seen more than two or three good ones.


Quartz var. opal after fossil
Australia
South Australia, Andamooka Ranges - Lake Torrens area, Andamooka opal fields

Quartz var opal @ a 3cm fossil snail	© Adlridge

Quartz var Opal after fossil belemnites
Australia
South Australia, Coober Pedy - Everard Range Regions, Coober Pedy

Quartz v. opal @ fossil belemnites 12cm wide	© Bracke

The fossils seen here are not in their natural state. They have been removed from the matrix and their exteriors polished and put back into the matrix. The example on the right looks a bit cracked and this may or may not have been caused by the heat generated during the polishing process because opal is rather heat sensitive.


Quartz, var Chalcedony after fossil wood
Czech Republic
Bohemia (Böhmen; Boehmen), Plzen Region, Plzen-North, Kralovice, Plasy, Kaznejov

Top view of left

Quartz var Chalcedony with Fluorite after fossil wood
Germany
Saxony, Chemnitz, Hilbersdorf




Quartz var. Chalcedony after fossil gastropod
Russia
Povolzhsky Region, Saratov Oblast', Danguz village




Quartz var. Chalcedony after fossil wood
USA
Arizona, Apache Co., Petrified Forest National Monument, Petrified Forest

Quartz var. petrified wood

Fine specimens of petrified wood from this locality are justifiably world famous. I don't think that any other locality has produced such fine, large, beautiful and abundant specimens. More than anything else their fame rests on the beautiful colors of various reds, yellows and blue that specimens from here sometimes display all in the same piece. Petrified wood from most other locations seem drab in comparison. Some of these logs can be several feet in diameter and weigh so many tons that they have not been moved from their original locations. The Lyon's share of these specimens have thankfully been preserved inside the Petrified Forest National Park near Holbrook, Arizona, USA, but on ranches surrounding the national park, there is still a lot of material that is available and from time to time will still be collected and cut and polished into beautiful "rounds". Some of the logs that have been found are too big to be moved and have been cut into sections in place by big wire saws that have been erected at the site of these logs. Beautiful slabs of logs from this locality more than a meter in diameter have been cut and polished and are cherished by those who have them and admired by those who have seen them. They are worth many thousands of dollars each.


Quartz var. chalcedony after fossil wood
USA
Arizona, Navajo Co., Holbrook




Quartz var opal after fossil wood
USA
Nevada, Humboldt Co., Virgin Valley District

opal @ wood 5.5cm	© Volkman

The black fire opal limb casts are highly valued by collectors and the fine ones often sell for many thousands of dollars. They are generally considered to be not very stable and subject to cracking over time after being removed from the ground. Usually they are kept oil or water to preserve them. Back in the day one of the persons who dug and specialized in this kind of opal was Kieth Hodson who lived in Phoenix, Arizona. He lived in Phoenix because the winter weather at the opal mines in Nevada was so bad that you didn't want to live there if you could help it, let alone try and dig there. In his store, he had a fish tank, and in the bottom of the fish tank were fine large precious opal limb casts which by todays standards would be worth several million dollars. It was an amazing sight.
[Rock Currier 2011]


Quartz var. chalcedony after fossil wood
USA
Utah, San Juan Co.




Quartz var chalcedony after fossil wood
USA
Utah, Wayne Co., Hanksville




Quartz var. chalcedony after wood
USA
Wyoming, Fremont Co., East Fork Wind River

polished top of left	© Lavinsky

Quartz var. chalcedony after fossil wood
USA
Wyoming, Sweetwater Co., Eden Valley, Hay's Ranch




Quartz v. chalcedony after fossil coral
USA
Florida, Hillsborough Co., Tampa, Tampa Bay

Back side of left	© Rob Lavinsky

Quartz v. chalcedony @ coral 18.2cm tall	© Rob Lavinsky

Quartz v. chalcedony @ coral 9.7cm tall	© Rob Lavinsky

Quartz var. chalcedony after fossil coral 18.1cm wide	© Rob Lavinsky

These chalcedony pseudomorphs after coral have been collected and appreciated by collectors for more than 100 years. Some collectors have specialized in collecting them and have set up little lapidary factories in their garages to cut and polish these beautiful objects.


Quartz var. Chalcedony after fossil shell
USA
Florida, Hillsborough Co., Tampa, Tampa Bay, Davis Islands



These are quite rare and I have never been able to find a good one for my collection in spite of looking for one for more than 40 years.
[Rock Currier 2011]



Quartz after fossil shell
USA
Georgia, Burke Co., Girard District, Girard




Quartz var. chalcedony after fossil Collenia undosa stromatolites
USA
Minnesota, St. Louis Co., Mesabi Range, Mary Ellen Pit

Quartz var. @ stromatolites ~45cm	© Rockpick

Quartz var. chalcedony after fossil coral
USA
Utah, Summit Co., Woodland, Woodland Quarry



In the past, these were abundant and I have seen hoards of this material in the hands of various field collectors of several hundred pounds, but today they are almost a thing of the past.
[Rock Currier 2011]


Quartz after Glauberite
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 after Glauberite
USA
New Jersey, Passaic Co., Paterson




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

Quartz after Glauberite ~7cm wide	©

Quartz after Glauberite ~12.5cm wide	©

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

Quartz after Glauberite ~10cm wide	© EAS 2009

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

Quartz after Glauberite ~7cm wide	©

Quartz after Glauberite 11cm wide	© Joseph Polityka

Quartz after Gypsum
USA
Nebraska, Dawes Co.

Quartz after Gypsum 11cm wide	© Dan Weinrich

Quartz after Gypsum 4.4cm wide	© Rob Lavinsky

Nebraska is one of the states in the United States that politically correct people might call, mineralogically challenged. These are one of the few localities for mineral specimens that the state has. Because I wanted something in my collection from my Fathers home state I bought a mud pseudomorph after halite and it looks even worse than these specimens do. That will give you some idea how bad things are for mineral collectors living in Nebraska.
[Rock Currier 2011]


Quartz var. chalcedony after Gypsum
USA
Nebraska, Dawes Co., Crawford, Crawford Dam




Quartz after Halite
USA
Arizona, Yavapai Co.




Quartz after Halite
USA
Pennsylvania, Perry Co., Ickesburg




Quartz after Heulandite
India
Maharashtra, Jalgaon District




Quartz after Laumontite
USA
Colorado, Teller Co., Cripple Creek District

Same as left	©

Quartz after Laumontite?
USA
Colorado, Teller Co., Cripple Creek District, Moffat Tunnel




Quartz after Laumontite
USA
Connecticut, New Haven Co., Southbury, O & G Southbury Quarry (Silliman Quarry; O & G No. 2 Quarry)

Back side of left	© 2011 Harold Moritz

Quartz after Laumontite
USA
Connecticut, Tolland Co., Stafford, Diamond Ledge




Quartz after Magnesioriebeckite-Riebeckite Series var. crocidolite
Canada
Ontario, Rainy River District, Hutchinson Township, Atikokan




Quartz after Melanophlogite?
France
Auvergne, Puy-de-Dôme, Pont-du-Château




Quartz var. Chalcedony after Mordenite
Hungary
Heves Co., Mátra Mts., Gyöngyösoroszi, Károlyvár




Quartz after Scheelite
UK
England, Devon, Okehampton area (Northern Dartmoor), Ramsley Mine

Quartz after Scheelite ~2.5cm wide	©

.

Quartz after Scheelite 2cm wide	© Ian Jones

Quartz var, chalcedony agate after Scolecite?
Germany
Rhineland-Palatinate, Alzey, Nack, Teufelsrutsch




Quartz after Siderite
UK
England, Cornwall




Quartz ater Stibnite
China
Guizhou Province, Qianxi'nan Autonomous Prefecture, Qinglong Co., Qinglong (Dachang) Sb-Au deposit

Quartz ater Stibnite ~9cm wide

Quartz var. Chalcedony after Stilbite?
South Africa
Northern Cape Province, Kalahari manganese fields, Hotazel, Wessels Mine (Wessel's Mine)




Quartz after Thenardite
Germany
Baden-Württemberg


Thenardite pseudos were reported in fine grained Volcanic Tufa, on Rosenegg Hill, in Hegau, South of Baden. The volcanic setting would seem to preclude the formation of Ikaite. Leuze(1886 & 1889) first noted the local for Calcite and rarer Quartz after Thenardite. Crystal diagrams, some as rare Twins, are included in Goldschmidt, under Thenardite.
[Kieth Harshbarger 2011]



Quartz after Wulfenite
Mexico
Durango, Mun. de Mapimí, Mapimí, Ojuela Mine




Quartz after Wulfenite
Namibia
Otjikoto (Oshikoto) Region, Tsumeb, Tsumeb Mine (Tsumcorp Mine)




Quartz after Wulfenite
USA
Arizona, Gila Co., Dripping Spring Mts, Banner District, Hayden area, Chilito, Keystone Gulch, Reagan claims (Regan/Reagan Camp prospects; Lee Reagan property; Lee Reagan prospects; Kullman-McCool group), Finch Mine (Barking Spider Mine)

Quartz after Wulfenite?? 8.8cm wide	© Rob Lavinsky

Quartz @ Wulfenite 4.5cm	© Rob Lavinsky

Quartz after ?
China
Hubei Province, Huangshi Prefecture, Daye Co.




Quartz after ?
France
Auvergne, Allier, Ébreuil, Échassières, Beauvoir quarry




Quartz after ?
Portugal
Vila Real District, Macieira, Cerva




Quartz after ?
USA
Rhode Island










Click here to view Pseudomorphs & Replacements A & B. Click here to view Pseudomorphs & Replacements C. Click here to view Pseudomorphs & Replacements D to I. Click here to view Pseudomorphs & Replacements J to M. Click here to view Pseudomorphs & Replacements N to P. Click here to view Pseudomorphs & Replacements R to Z. Click here to view Best Minerals P, Click here to view and here for Best Minerals A to Z and here for Fast Navigation of completed Best Minerals articles.



Images last selected December 2010 sorting on "after".

Rock Currier
Crystals not pistols.



Edited 37 time(s). Last edit at 10/30/2012 07:07PM by Rock Currier.

Rock,

Per comments in "A to C", I'm posting a set of specimens that hit localities and/or replacements not well represented in the articles at present, rather than saying these are all The Best. Thank you for your efforts!


Chalcedony after aragonite
Chalcedony after aragonite
Needle Peak (Sierra Aguja), Brewster Co., Texas, USA
Brewster Co. is already represented, but these two examples are pretty sharp.

Quartz after anhydrite
São Gabriel, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
I added this one because the locality is different, but there are certainly better examples in the Rio Grande do Sul galleries. Not currently "approved" photo.

Quartz after barite
Frauenstein, Weisbaden, Germany

Quartz after calcite
Santa Eulalia District, Mun. de Aquiles Serdán, Chihuahua, Mexico

Quartz after fluorite
Aurora District, Mineral Co., Nevada, USA

Don, Thanks for your input on the Pseudomorphs of Quartz. Unfortunately it is my job to be the Devels advocate or perhaps St Peter at the gate and feel I need to make the following observations.

I would use you Needle Peak pseudo except for the fact that the specimen is not in focus. Have you considered taking you pictures with a tripod to reduce hand shake and to stop you aperture down to f22 so that the entire specimen will be in focus?

The Quartz after Anhydrite, at least that is what we presume them to be after does not come from Sao Gabriel. Sao Gabriel is/was a very small town in Rio Grande do Sul state near some of the amethyst/agate mines, but those mines never produced any of these type of casts. In fact during all my visits there, I never saw anything like those offered for sale by the local miners and distributors.

The Quartz after Barite looks suspiciously like Quartz after Anhydrite. I don't know much about the pseudos from that locality. How sure are you that those are pseudos after Barite?

Have you checked the hardness of the Quartz after Calcite? Will they scratch a crystal of orthoclase feldspar?

The Quartz after Fluorite looks good. Are there any of the pseudos on the back side broken open and if so is there any fluorite in place? We try not to include coating of quartz on other minerals as pseudomorphs in the article.

I have not taken the time yet to look at your other suggestions carefully, but will soon find the time to do that.

Rock Currier
Crystals not pistols.

Rock:

Thanks for the feedback. I had every expectation that you and/or others would raise questions on some of the pieces I flagged -- these wiki environments would be far less useful if that weren't the case. My main failing here is probably in believing the labels. I'll hit your points in order.

> I would use you Needle Peak pseudo except for the
> fact that the specimen is not in focus. Have you
> considered taking you pictures with a tripod to
> reduce hand shake and to stop you aperture down to
> f22 so that the entire specimen will be in focus?

I'll go back and reshoot. I did use a tripod and knew this one was not in focus for the entire sample, but actually liked the look of it anyhow. My set-up is pretty crude and I'm no expert, but I'll play around and see what I can do.


> The Quartz after Anhydrite, at least that is what
> we presume them to be after does not come from Sao
> Gabriel. Sao Gabriel is/was a very small town in
> Rio Grande do Sul state near some of the
> amethyst/agate mines, but those mines never
> produced any of these type of casts. In fact
> during all my visits there, I never saw anything
> like those offered for sale by the local miners
> and distributors.

I bought this one from Si and Ann Frazier, who I typically trust on all things quartz. Their label is listed as "Daniello Mine, Sao Gabriel" -- I've not been able to find any other reference to this locality, however. I'll check with them in the next few days to see if they have any more information.


> The Quartz after Barite looks suspiciously like
> Quartz after Anhydrite. I don't know much about
> the pseudos from that locality. How sure are you
> that those are pseudos after Barite?

Funny you highlight that -- I was starting to wonder the same. I was trying to figure out what a little mm-scale mineral on the regular quartz could be and was looking at the other minerals from the locality. When I saw anhydrite, it got me thinking because it sure looks a lot like the habit of the Brazilian anhydrites. Roger Lang had once pointed me to a link on mineralienatlas.de that confirmed Frauenstein was a real locality with barite present, but I don't know German at all and my browser doesn't like that site very much.


> Have you checked the hardness of the Quartz after
> Calcite? Will they scratch a crystal of orthoclase
> feldspar?

Have now tried in several places without luck, so it may not be quartz after all. Compared to several other Sta Eulalia pseudos I have, though, this one really does look like quartz and intergrown with the pseudos are little elongate crystals that seem to have hexagonal shapes; I can't get them to scratch the feldspar either, though.


> The Quartz after Fluorite looks good. Are there
> any of the pseudos on the back side broken open
> and if so is there any fluorite in place? We try
> not to include coating of quartz on other minerals
> as pseudomorphs in the article.

There are definitely parts that are broken open along the edges, but all are completely hollow with no evidence of fluorite anywhere. I think these qualify as epimorphs, in that the quartz doesn't seem to have replaced the fluorite but rather coated it and then outlasted it.


> I have not taken the time yet to look at your
> other suggestions carefully, but will soon find
> the time to do that.

I appreciate the consideration and the effort you put in to all of the MinDat work!

Rock:

Finally got the Needle Peak piece to be fully in focus and at a decent perspective. I hope this fits the guidelines better:

Quartz after aragonite

I'll write Si & Ann about the Sao Gabriel piece and check if they have any more info to add.

Cheers,
D.

Don,
Yep! that will do it. Ill put it in the article. Have you ever collected there? Its near the well known agate locality of the Woodard Ranch in Texas. I have seen these things around for years and wondered just how wide spread they are.

Rock Currier
Crystals not pistols.

I have a copy of the “Glossary of Geology” produced by the American Geological Institute. It defines pseudomorph as:

“A mineral whose outward crystal form is that of another mineral species. It has developed by alteration, substitution, incrustation, or paramorphism.”

If this is the accepted mineralogical context of the word pseudomorph, then petrified wood and other fossils would be eliminated because their form is not another mineral species. I hope that this comment is considered constructive at the time when the pseudomorph pages are being developed. Actually it makes no difference to me if a more general definition is used, the pages are beautiful and instructive and I enjoy looking at them.

Respectfully, Larry Maltby

Larry,
Thanks for bringing that "official" definition of a pseudomorph to my attention. I think that in the introductory remarks we will probably cite several different "official" definitions which will probably show that different people and organizations have different opinions as to what a pseudomorph is. I need to find someone to translate Blum's original definition as well. In these articles we will include a number of examples of things that can be considered pseudomorphs only the the loosest definition, like ice after water, minerals after old coins, atacamite after mouse etc. but in the text describing these pseudomorphs we will indicate that we have stretched the definition a bit. I would like to use the articles to get the idea across that perhaps our definition of exactly what a mineral is, is too strict and that mineralogists should "claim more territory" if they want to see the decline in mineralogical education stopped or reversed.

Rock Currier
Crystals not pistols.

Rock, a minor edit needed. The quartz psu datolite says US and should be UK.

Easy Goin'
USA

Thanks. Fixed.

@Don,

Your quartz after baryte is in fact most almost certainly quartz after anhydrite. While I don't remember a specific reference to Frauenstein, quartz after anhydrite has been described from (and is occasionally abundant in) the area around of Wiesbaden.

Peter:

Thank you for the confirmation -- I'll change the description of that piece, as well as my label. Might also hit it with a water gun and re-shoot, as looking it over with the hand lens made me realize it was a little grotty.

Rock:

I should have posted this note here instead of as a throw-in for "D to I", but for these quartz pseudos I'd also nominate the quartz after garnet samples from Garnet Hill in Calaveras Co. There's one good one in the database already: quartz after garnet.

This locality also has interesting epidote after garnet, but my example wouldn't make the cut here. I know a few people who probably do, though, and I think I can get a little commentary on the occurrence of these pseudomorphs at the site. Most likely this will be after Tucson, given many of the principals are likely out of town. I'll take notes if I run into them there.

Cheers,
D.

Rock,

For additional info on Chalcedony pseudomorphs after what are believed to be Melanophlogite, see my article "Unusual Quartz and Chalcedony Pseudomorphs from Canada's Alberta Badlands" in the Nov / Dec 2012 issue of Rocks & Minerals.

I can supply photos, including but not limited to those in the article.

Some of these pseudos take a plate-like form similar to Patrice Cmolik's specimen from Auvergne, Puy-de-Dôme, Pont-du-Château, France that's already in your article. The Alberta specimens are, however, less gemmy.

Cheers,

Mike

Mike, Can you upload a few of them? I'm sure that at least one or two would end up in the article. I have upgraded you to a level one and you can now upload images to mindat and new localities.

Rock Currier
Crystals not pistols.

Hi Rock,

I can add 2 pictures of quartz pseudomorphs from a Chinese locality. The quality of the pictures is not very good, but I think these are interesting additions regarding the locality. If you want, you can use the pictures.
Both pieces are self-collected in 2012 resp. 2013 in Yongping Cu-mine, Shangrao Pref., Jiangxi Prov., PR China.

Volkmar

Quartz var. Chalcedony ps. calcite on fluorite (width about 4 cm, find from 2012-12-02)


Quartz ps. fluorite (width about 7 cm, find from 2013-01-13)

Volkmar,
Before I can put an image in a Best Minerals article, they must be formerly uploaded to Mindat's database. Would you like to do that? Do you need instructions on hot to do it? The reason for this is to clear up copyright issues regarding the photos and to make it accessible to anyone searching for that mineral on mindat.

Rock Currier
Crystals not pistols.

Rock,

I've now uploaded the 5 images of my chalcedony pseudos, but had some difficulty accessing and using the Photo Upload form.
In particular I was unable to enter a new locality, so please note that three of the specimens (my catalogue nos. MC16, UL1 and DW51), are from a new locality, as follows:

Battle River, northeast of Donalda, Alberta, Canada.

The minerals found at this location are:
-Chalcedony
-Quartz
-Calcite

For the Drumheller locality, you can also add Gypsum to the minerals list (crystals on specimens that I've collected)

The literature reference for both locations( Drumheller, and Battle River) is as follows:

Menzies, M.A., and Frazier, S. (2012) Unusual quartz and chalcedony pseudomorphs from Canada’s Alberta badlands. Rocks & Minerals, 87, 6, 512-521.


Would it be possible for you to make the changes?


Thanks,

Mike

Yes. Rock, please could you give me some instructions for uploading pictures, I never did it before.

Thanks,
Volkmar

Mike,
Thanks for uploading those images. They are really interesting and Ill use them once we, or rather you get the new locality entered in Mindat. I know the first time around this may seem a little hard to do, but the fact that you managed to upload some images indicates a degree of computer literacy.

To enter new localities in Mindat, you need to do that from the locality pages, not the photo upload page. In you case you will need to go to the Alberta locality page:

[www.mindat.org]

And then click on the Edit/Add Sub Locality menu choices. I think you should be able to figure it out from there. Once the locality has been entered, you will be able to go back to your images and find the correct locality already in the system, select it and update the data on the photo upload page. Let me know if you have any problems.

To get to Alberta, just go to the locality field at the bottom of any page in type in Alberta.

Rock Currier
Crystals not pistols.