The actual mountains where the amethyst quartz (sometimes in sceptre form) is mined are the Goboboseb Mountains (volcanic origin), located approximately 35 km west of the Brandberg (specimen labels often give the locality as Brandberg). The name "Brandberg crystal" or "Brandberg quartz" originates from the fact that the Brandberg (granite massif!) is a world wide known name and it is easier to explain than the Goboboseb range.
Refs.:
- Henn & Lieber (1993): Lapis, issue 10, 48ff.
- Niedermayr, G., Palfi, A. and Wartha, R. (2002): Neue Amethyst- und Rauchquarzfunde aus den Goboboseb-Bergen in Namibia. Mineralien-Welt 13 (6), 72-75. (in German)
- Cairncross, B. & Bahmann, U. (2006): Minerals from the Goboboseb mountains, Brandberg region, Namibia. Rocks & Minerals 81 (6), 442-457.
- Böllinghaus, T. & van der Smit, M. (2007): Prächtige Amethyst-Fensterquarze aus den Goboboseb-Bergen. Lapis 32 (6), 37-43.
- http://www.oxfordjournals.org/our_journals/petroj/online/Volume_39/Issue_02/html/egb091_gml.html
- http://www.mb-minerals.de/namibia/gobobos/mineralienuebersicht%20gobobos.htm
