• The specimen on a wood plant shelf, in front of a cactus in a bowl, with angular crystals reflecting light.
  • Detail of a large point with good transparency, yellowish with wispy inclusions illuminated inside under the surface layer of orange-red quartz.
  • A large red quartz specimen, a cluster of dozens of points of multiple sizes with on large tabular crystal perched horizontally across the top of the piece.
  • View from the bottom right of the specimen, with many small points clustered at the bottom an some lumpy opaque red overgrowth. The sideways crystal has an irregular end.
  • The back of the specimen, the base a white aggregate of quartz. The crystals on the left side are partial or broken, while those on the right are well-formed.
  • Close view of the largest crystal in the specimen, a long broad point that splits into multiple terminations.
  • A side of the specimen with well-formed large red quartz points, with the point of the sideways crystal visible at the top. The tip of the point is chipped and abraded appearing. Beneath it it a hole where you can see through the specimen. From this angle the specimen is very saturated.
  • A side view of the piece, less saturated orange-red on the lower right side. There are clusters of opaque red minerals among the small points at the base of the piece.
  • Detail of different sizes of quartz crystals in the cluster of the base, some fairly colorless and others tinted yellow to red with hematite. There is some sandy opaque red mineral on areas.
  • Detail of well-formed quartz points on one end of the piece, with smaller points jutting out of the base.
  • Detail of a rainbow fracture in the tip of one of the large points.
  • Looking down at the top of the piece, with well formed point tips and elongated tabular point tips. Several points are broken leaving rough ends stained yellow.
  • The specimen in indirect light, showing some internal illumination and bright orange-red color.
  • Detail of smaller crystal points on the larger crystals, with a fine natural fracture line through them.
  • Looking down the top of the specimen, with saturated orange red color in indirect light. The sideways crystal is red at the end but colorless on the rest of the back.
  • The specimen held upside-down so light shines in the base, showing it is more colorless near the base with more even and saturated color near the tip
  • Detail of small quartz points on the right corner of the base, wall-formed with good translucency and more red on the tips
  • Detail of the end of the sideways tabular crystal. There are well formed points around it with good horizontal striations.
  • Scale image of the specimen on a measuring mat, measuring about five inches long by about four and a half inches wide.
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Red quartz specimen "Stonehenge"

Red quartz specimen "Stonehenge"

$110.00 USD
$110.00 USD
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Locale: Morocco

Approx dimensions: 5 x 4.5 x 2.5", longest crystal 10 cm

Approx weight: 1095g (2.4 lbs)

 

Also known as hematite or ferruginous (iron-bearing) quartz, this unusual red quartz cluster gets its color from oxidized hematite. Hematite can manifest in multiple ways: as a color-causing agent in the quartz creating tones of red, orange, black, and brown; growing small red or black spots inside the quartz; or growing as a matte layer on the surface of the quartz.

The quartz in this specimen was initially colorless, but a change occurred during the growth process that introduced hematite inclusions, tinting the surface layer with red-brown hematite giving the specimen a matte appearance. Broken crystals along the edge reveal a colorless interior bordered by a layer of red-tinted quartz. A grainy opaque red mineral grows in clumps on the small points, with a slightly glittery appearance like sand.

This red quartz is a good self-standing display piece. I call it "Stonehenge" because of the two wide tabular crystals in the piece, with one oriented sideways on the top of the specimen like the ancient monument. At the base is a dense cluster of dozens of small well-formed quartz points.

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