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[Roger Warin]

Hello,
Photographing inclusions is not easy. When the stone is further cut, internal reflections are annoying.
However, this Malagasy quartz contains an interesting inclusion: Pezzotaite.
What do you know about?

2 other inclusions are present: small schorl needles and perhaps a small rutile crystal;
What do you think?
Sakavalana mine, Ambatovita, Madagascar.

[James Catmur]

Any Madagascar experts out there?

[William Gardner]

The mineral is described as being fluorescent blue under SW excitation.

[Roger Warin]

Hello,
About pezzotaite.
James Catmur said;
Any Madagascar experts out there?

By the way, have you asked ChatGPT this question?
Among the mineral enthusiasts are retired former scientists.
I myself have been a retired chemist for many years…
I had the opportunity to photograph numerous pezzotaite specimens from Benoit Jacques' collection, particularly in the spring of 2003.
I was born while Giuseppe Cesàro (1849-1939 ) ULiege) was still alive.
As a student, I studied crystallography taught to me by Prof. Henri Brasseur.
In those times, crystal morphology and its optical properties were important in determining the crystal species. Computers did not exist, nor did publication photocopiers…
The amateur of today has remained close to the scientists of that time.
It seems to me that today's scientist has often forgotten crystal morphology, rightly discussing only the very expressive results of current spectral techniques.

The sample photographed above belongs to a young geologist whose graduate work was dedicated to the analysis of cut stones from various religious objects preserved in cathedrals, with Prof. Hatert.
The specimen shown above is a rough cut quartz, purchased in Liège (Belgium) for approximately USD 10.}
It is presumptuous to describe its morphology, but its profile is consistent with that of many other pezzotaite specimens I have seen.
Often the crystal appears to grow like a mushroom, growing on a small base that widens markedly with growth.
The dominant upper face is obviously flat (pinacoid {0001}) to which we add the truncations of rhombohedra and the prism.
I will develop this aspect with photos (my only tool).