Quartz (casts) (ex Ken McKim Collection)

Item Description

The quarry at Upper New Street is over 100 years old (it opened in 1893). During the mid 1980's to early 1990's, there was a lot of collecting that took place between the Upper New Street and Lower Street Quarries in an area that is affectionately referred to by some as "Middle New Street". The majority of the specimens from this area are still labeled as being found at Upper New Street even though they were not found in the quarry itself. Nonetheless, this is one of the most famous Trap Rock quarries in New Jersey and is probably most famous for its amazing and unique Prehnite casts after Anhydrite (sometimes called "fingers" or "snakeheads"). This specimen is actually a cast of "sugary" Quartz / Amethyst replacing Glauberite. You can clearly see the "rhombic" cross-section of the preexisting Glauberite crystals, which have been completely replaced by the Quartz, but some of the casts looks more orthorhombic so they could be Anhydrite as well. The casts are very distinct, and truly one of the most beautiful occurences in the mineral world. These pieces are no longer being quarried and will remain as some of the most significant casts of any kind from this historic mineral specimen producing area. A great Trap Rock display specimen from this significant New Jersey locality. Ex Ken McKim Collection.