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GeneralTessin Habit quartz and pocket almandine localities

25th Apr 2016 17:49 UTCTony Albini

The Becker quarry in West Willington, Connecticut, USA produced gem, smoky colored "Tessin habit" quartz crystals and pocket almandine garnet crystals from hydrothermal veins in a tough metamorphic rock. Dr. Jay Ague of Yale University published a paper in 1995 titled--Deep crustal growth of quartz, kyanite, and garnet into large-aperture, fluid-filled fractures, north-eastern Connecticut, USA. Has anyone seen this habit of quartz or pocket almandine garnet in other US or world-wide localities. There should be plenty of quartz sites in Europe and I would like information on both species.

26th Apr 2016 00:41 UTCAdam Kelly

I have a special love for Becker Quarry and have a few great pieces from there.

Back when Larry Becker was still in charge of operations I was able to attend quite a few blasts there.

I have found Tessin Habit quartz on my parents property in Storrs. I'm sure it is part of the same deposit,

and is probably only about 5 miles away as a crow flies.

I will try to get a decent photo of my almandine from Becker to add to the mindat photo archive.

AK

26th Apr 2016 23:50 UTCTony Albini

Hi Adam, thanks for the information.

If you can get a bedrock geology map from the CT state library of state publications, you should be able to determine if the Storrs material is from the same formation. Just 5 miles away seems to be a good bet that it is. Dr. Jay Ague, noted in my first post, refers to the 1981 map by Rodgers. When I lived in CT, I was able to get some specimens from a few people allowed to collect at the Becker quarry. Do you still live in the Storrs area?

27th Apr 2016 00:40 UTCAmir C. Akhavan Expert

Also from the east side of the continent:

http://www.mindat.org/photo-342320.html

http://www.mindat.org/photo-197783.html

http://www.mindat.org/photo-604697.html

I got a few small ones. Visually indistinguishable from Swiss ones.

27th Apr 2016 21:13 UTCTony Albini

Amir,

Thanks for the photos and new information. I had never any Tessin habit quartz from NC.

28th Apr 2016 20:05 UTCPhilip Simmons

Hi Tony,

A good number of Tessin habit smoky quartz crystals have been found at the Mina Tiro Estrella prospect in Lincoln County, New Mexico. I have even found one that is a Japan Law twin. Unfortunately, there are no pictures of this habit in the photo gallery, but I should be able to upload some pics in the near future once I have completed my Masters program.

Phil Simmons

28th Apr 2016 23:53 UTCTony Albini

Phil,

Thank you for the information and good luck with your degree. I completed my Master's degree in science many moons ago :) Tony

29th Apr 2016 22:50 UTCPhilip Simmons

Thanks, Tony! Hopefully I'll be able to get those pics uploaded sometime soon.

2nd May 2016 00:55 UTCAdam Kelly

Tony,

I now live in Colorado, but my parents still live in Storrs.

I was fortunate enough to have carte blanche at Becker before Diane took over.

I still have quite a bit that I collected there over the years, but my best Tessin Quartz and pocket almandine were purchased back in about 2000

Unfortunately very few people can appreciate the rarity of a good Becker Piece.

AK

2nd May 2016 16:52 UTCTony Albini

Adam, I moved out west in 2014 to Arizona. From what I can tell, both Tessin habit quartz and pocket amandine is not common in the United States. The Becker material is of high quality. Thanks for the information.

4th May 2016 17:55 UTCTony Albini

Hi Adam,

I was able to get most of my specimens from a person named Mitch, I do not remember his last name. He had access to the site, Was he related to you? Tony

5th May 2016 04:01 UTCAdam Kelly

Nobody I knew, I got my best pieces from Jim Garbedian sp?

He knew two brothers that collected a lot there. Can't remember their names.

Even though I collected a lot there, I don't have very many good pieces to show for it. Just great memories!

5th May 2016 15:51 UTCTony Albini

Adam, thanks for the reply. The person who you got your pieces from was Jim Garabedian, no longer selling minerals for years now. I was told that two brothers and their uncle collected there. All I know was one was named Mitch. Later, I bought a few pieces from two other people. Tony

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