Quartz with Hematite inclusions

Item Description

Orange River (whose production is primarily from South Africa), is known throughout the mineral world for it dramatic Quartz with Hematite specimens. The Hematite can include or coat the Quartz, or display as sharply-defined, often opaque, phantoms. But this specimen is different in such a good and astounding way. Each crystal has, at its core, a Hematite phantom that is actually transparent to translucent, and surrounding the phantom are needle-like inclusions of what likely are some sort of Mn-oxide. And then around those are intermittent wisps of Amethyst. It is so unusual for the locality, or anywhere else, for that matter. And it doesn't take much imagination to picture this structure as a Hematite 'volcano', with Mn-oxide pyroclastics shooting out in all directions, and puffs of Amethyst smoke rising up into the air. A close look reveals these remarkable details in all their interesting glory. It is a subtle but fascinating quartz specimen.