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Bob Carnein
Joined: 22 Aug 2013
Posts: 327
Location: Florissant, CO
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Posted: Jun 14, 2021 09:55 Post subject: Re: Unknown mineral from Pikes Peak pegmatite |
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I tried scratching a very flat rhombohedron face on a "Herkimer diamond", and the unknown mineral left some powder and a VERY faint scratch. |
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Peter Lemkin
Joined: 18 Nov 2016
Posts: 398
Location: Prague
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Posted: Jun 15, 2021 00:11 Post subject: Re: Unknown mineral from Pikes Peak pegmatite |
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Since you live not far from where you collected, as you probably know, there are a number of regional experts between where you live and Colo. Springs. If I were you, I'd show it to one or a few of them. One shop in Manatou Springs has some experts in the area, but there are others - some without shops. Just an idea. Perhaps some here can help, but most of us are not local. I used to be living in CO and collected at Devil's Head and that general area often. Never saw anything like you have, but in that P.P. Pegmatite every now and then one would find a very nicely formed XX of a mineral rarely found..... |
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Bob Carnein
Joined: 22 Aug 2013
Posts: 327
Location: Florissant, CO
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Posted: Jul 22, 2021 09:56 Post subject: Re: Unknown mineral from Pikes Peak pegmatite |
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I was able to break this crystal into two fragments, preserving the termination. I sent the bottom half to John Attard, who completed an XRD analysis (attached), which indicates that it's quartz. Now the problem is how to explain the crystal habit and forms present. This was a completely unexpected result. |
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Bob Morgan
Joined: 18 Jan 2018
Posts: 228
Location: Savannah, Georgia
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Posted: Jul 23, 2021 09:03 Post subject: Re: Unknown mineral from Pikes Peak pegmatite |
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Quartz does take this habit sometimes. I've heard the nickname of 'saber quartz' for that. Two opposing prism faces are very narrow or completely missing causing it to have a pseudo orthorhombic appearance, hence looking like danburite. It's an oddity and thus highly desirable to certain quartz fanatics. Good find. |
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