FMF - Friends of Minerals Forum, discussion and message board

[NYFineMineralExchange]

Greetings Fellow Friends of Minerals,

This is my first post in this forum, I have been an avid mineral collector since my teen years, as I grew up here in Herkimer Diamond Country. They were my introduction to Gems/Minerals and also helped school me on how to collect minerals properly. I have been collecting Herkimer Diamonds as my main profession for over about 10 years now. My other favorite activity is Hiking, mainly in the Adirondack Park which is my backyard basically.

Anyhow, one day out on a hike, exploring some state land I had yet to explore I came across a quartz vein in a rock face out in the wilderness. Having an eye for quartz always open I was thrilled and shocked to find quartz so far from "Herkimer Diamond Country". I quickly noticed that this quartz was very colourful and had some strange inclusions I was not familiar with. I harvested some weathered specimens from the topsoil and extracted the rest of the pocket as to preserve it from weathering like the specimens that had fallen out so long ago.

The vein was like a big "geode" with most of the quartz points emerging from matrix like "drusy". However I did find a few amazing "floaters" that are some of the most amazing and interesting quartz I have ever seen from ANY location. Some of the quartz also exhibits elestial growth adding much aesthetics. Such a wide variety in appearance of these specimens. The amount of inclusions in the quartz, and the style of the quartz, varies so much from specimen to specimen.

I collected all that was collectable, and have now am ready to share some of this exciting find with other mineral enthusiasts. Specimens include quartz that varies in color from red, yellow, purple, pink, clear, with Inclusions of red Hematite. Some silver/grey/blue metallic matter that may be hematite also. Most of the specimens also have rutile, ranging in color from red, to black to white, some are gold, others are so clear they are nearly invisible without the right illumination. Some of the quartz specimens have calcite on them also, which also has various inclusions inside.

Maybe some of you can help me Identify some of the various inclusions, I will be posting more specimens from this find in this thread, so keep an eye out and thanks for checking out my first post, and for being friends of minerals.

Adam Scanlon

[NYFineMineralExchange]

Here is the same specimen illuminated from the back with an led light to show the fine particles inside the crystal that make up the "metallic" inclusions shown in the first picture.

[gemlover]

Very interesting piece. Reminds me back to when I did field work for college in the Adirondacks. Have you considered removing what appears to be dirt from the sample?

John

[NYFineMineralExchange]

Hello there, I did clean this specimen thoroughly with a toothbrush and some natural soap to remove some of the pocket mud that was bulit up on the surface. That "dirt" you speak of, I believe, Is hematiate matrix. It is part of the specimen, and in my opinion adds much beauty. Could be the same material that is included but changed colors due to weathering, as I have one other specimen that has the same "dirt" and also features the same "metallic" dust like inclusion that is featured in this specimen!

[GneissWare]

Hematite inclusions are often as small shiny metallic flakes.

[Pierre Joubert]

What a joy to find and remove such a pocket of interesting crystals! Hurry up so we can see
some more.

[NYFineMineralExchange]

Here is another specimen from this pocket, largest single point found. Such a colorful specimen with nice elestial growth on the front face/termination of large point.

[NYFineMineralExchange]

Better Shot of Elestial growth

[NYFineMineralExchange]

It is hard to tell from the pictures, but the above point is super clear and illustrious. The iron on it masks the gem quality from the front angle, but the luster can be more easily seen in person, ever from the front. The Iron adds so much color/beauty to this specimen that I wouldn't dare remove it.

[John S. White]

I think our viewers might like to know what you mean by "elestial." Additionally, I suspect that there is probably no rutile in this quartz. It does not appear that the environment in which these crystals formed is likely to include rutile. Just a guess.

[NYFineMineralExchange]

Hello John,

By elestial I mean that is faces off intricately in a skeletal like manner. Also you are wrong about the rutile, as astonishing as it may be every specimen has rutile to some degree, here is another specimen that will show you more clearly the rutile. However it is in most of, if not all the specimens from this location.

The rutile is much easier to see in person, if you will be in Springfield, MA gem show I would be happy to show anyone a few specimens in person to examine.

[NYFineMineralExchange]

Close up of Rutile - Dark Purple / Black Rutile, other 3 pictures of this specimen are mislabeled as having clear/golden rutile. That label was for the previous specimen.

[John S. White]

Rutile is not the only mineral to occur in quartz crystals in long delicate fibers and the colors you describe, dark purple and black, are not characteristic for rutile. Have not yet decided if I will be at Springfield, but if I am I would love to see your quartzes.

[NYFineMineralExchange]

John,

Thanks for the information, I still have alot to learn about gems and minerals. I have been self taught all I know, thanks for the bits of information. Much appreciated. I Thought rutile was a general term for thin fibers included inside quartz, was unaware untill now it was specifically reserved for Titanium Dioxide.

[Riccardo Modanesi]

Hi to everybody!
Fully agree with John: it might also be riebeckite or arfvedsonite, however an amphibole mineral as well! And we mustn't forget tourmaline as a very common inclusion in quartz! I think this is not the case for tourmaline, but we all know well it exists this way too!
Greetings from Italy by Riccardo.