• One side of the main point with some clarity, with the interior illuminated in sunlight. The surface is included with small dark red spots, with some horizontal bands of concentration.
  • Full view of a red quartz specimen in direct sunlight, a cluster with one large point sticking out of each end and a mash of druzy, points, and broken crystals between.
  • The specimen at an angle, showing the points have some translucency, with colorless growth under a layer included with dark red quartz. The tips of some points are covered in black mineral.
  • A side-view of the specimen, dark red-brown material atop a white quartz aggregate. Along the edge is a row of hexagonal shapes of broken quartz ringed by red hematite-included material.
  • Looking straight down on the quartz cluster, with one large point on one end and several points on the other end. Several hexagonal broken points are in between them, colorless and ringed in red included quartz
  • Detail of the main point, costed by dark red-brown druzy on this side and topped with black mineral. A second smaller crystal intersects with the larger point, and is also covered in druzy.
  • Another angle of the main point, showing the clarity through one side and the other side coated in glittering red druzy with small black dots.
  • Detail of the main point, well-formed and covered with red druzy spotted with black, and with the tip coated in black.
  • Detail of a small quartz point, translucent with a layer of dark red and then light red small spot inclusions under the surface.
  • Detail of a well-formed stubby quartz point, with colorless inclusions illuminated inside and a heavy layer of small dark red dots under the surface, slightly arranged along horizontal planes
  • The specimen on a wood plant shelf, with a cactus in the bowl behind it.
  • Detail of the colorless quartz crystals perched atop the specimen, oriented point-down. The quartz pieces have good horizontal striations.
  • Detail of colorless quartz crystals on the piece, and bacon-fat layers of red and cream agate along the edge of the matrix before it turns to a colorless quartz aggregate.
  • Side-view of the piece showing the thin agate-like layers of the quartz matrix, and the unusual colorless quartz crystals angled on top of the piece.
  • Detail of stepped colorless quartz on the base of the specimen, dusted with small red spots.
  • Detail of the unusual structure with a bowl-like colorless quartz filled with red druzy, with small colorless quart crystals on top.
  • Scale image of the specimen on a measuring mat, measuring close to five inches long by about three inches wide.
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Ferruginous quartz cluster

Ferruginous quartz cluster

$65.00 USD
$65.00 USD
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Locale: Morocco

Approx dimensions: 4.5 x 3 x 3", longest crystal 5.5 cm

Approx weight: 627g

 

Known as red or ferruginous (iron-bearing) quartz, this unusual variety of quartz gets its color from iron oxides, typically hematite. The quartz in this specimen initially grew colorless; broken crystals along the edge reveal the quartz crystals have a clear core bordered by a thin top layer of brick-red quartz. A change occurred during the growth process that introduced fine iron oxide inclusions that give the top layer deep color and a fairly matte luster.

Ferruginous quartz is typically fairly opaque due to the density of iron oxide inclusions, but the larger crystals on this specimen have enough transparency they may technically be "hematitic" rather than ferruginous. The points are coated on one side with a fine glittering dark-red druzy spotted with black spheres of hematite. The two larger points are tipped with bubbly black hematite.

At first glance this piece is quite messy appearing, but it has a lot of fascinating details. Broken quartz crystals along the side of the piece have left a pattern of hexagons in red chalcedony of the base. An especially odd structure near the center of the specimen appears like a hollowed out quartz tip filled to the rim with red druzy, with small quartz crystals sprinkle on top like an odd little bowl of cereal.

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