FMF - Friends of Minerals Forum, discussion and message board

[Kelly Jean]

The first picture I think that bright orange ball shaped crystal is calcite - please correct me if I am wrong. The other inclusions are the red crystals to the far left; What are they?

In the second photo what is the black fuzzy crystal? If you see to the lower right there are two of these black crystal formations joined together; Not sure what this is that would have two of these crystals attached to each other in a string form like that. I would really love to know, I'm dying of curiosity.

[Bob Harman]

Your example that is orange colored is iron stained druzy quartz. No calcite in this one.

Your other example shows crystalline and microcrystalline quartz (chalcedony) and probably an area of calcite. The banding patterns along the edge qualify this example as being an agate.
The black "fuzzy" area is probably a goethite inclusion. Goethite is an iron oxide mineral, often forming blackish inclusions in quartz and calcite. Bob

[Kelly Jean]

Thanks, Bob. The answer was on the tip of my brain but I could not remember the right name.