Size:
8.25 x 2.5 x 2 cm
Weight:
53.5 grams
Location:
Corinto, Brazil
This Quartz has Polished Faces and was mined in 2009 in Corinto. Back in 2003 world-class Brookite crystals started coming out of a specific area near Quetta, Pakistan called Taftan. This Brookite surpassed the rest of the world mainly because of its bright red color zoning and substantial size, up to 10 cm! At first Brookite was all the miners were looking for and the Quartz was left behind. This is how we were able to gather many of the best Brookite included Quartz in Taftan. Our local contact was actively mining all the best Brookites and we became the benefactor of this situation, buying all the best Quartz that we could while it was coming out. The prices were very reasonable at first because the market for Brookite was strong with both commercial and high end pieces drawing good prices. The Quartz was a by-product. The best crystals that came from Pakistan are clean & clear quartz with Red Brookite and Golden Rutile. Unfortunately, as with most Alpine localities, the presence of Chlorite impeded the growth of the Quartz and became included both inside and outside. This also yielded great colorful specimens but often the Chlorite grew in competition and clouded the quartz. Many times we find a thick milky sheen on the outside of the quartz that is virtually impossible to remove by any cleaning method. We polished some of these crystals with nice results. Brazil also produces a nice Brookite included Quartz, with Silver Rutile growing off of the Brookite. Those are from Corinto and have characteristic unusual markings on the sides indicative of that region. They can sometimes also be included with red Mica disks. Quartz was our first stone passion. For a decade we have attempted to gather as much diversely included and colorful Quartzes as we could find, from every corner of the globe, travelling both to country of origin, and utilizing a vast network of suppliers developed through exhibiting at major USA and international gem and mineral shows. Here is a representation of those efforts - some of the best of our finds, as well as a tremendous volume that has just piled up as a result of wholesaling in volume! If you have a variety of aesthetic Quartz to add to our offerings, we'd love to see a flat of material! We also personally collect high quality fine Quartzes.
Quartz from Brazil deserves a book of its own, or even an entire library of its own! It is simply impossible to know of all the varieties that exist. Many of the ones that make it to market have become commonplace at this day and age due to the prolific amounts produced. There is such a diverse wealth of Quartz in Brazil that it would require lifetimes of study. Surely there are many more below ground just waiting to be found. This is a area of our website that will expand continuously year after year. Brazil is perhaps the most important places on Earth for Quartz, as there is more of it that comes from there than anywhere else, and not just in quantity but in diversity. And of course, Brazil produces a huge variety of other minerals and gem crystals highly worthy of collectibility! Corinto is a prolific Quartz producing site in Minas Gerais, Brazil which produces quite a variety of distinguishing attributes. Most notable are the glyphs & markings on the sides of the crystals. Corinto produces more unusual side-patterning than any other location we have seen in the world!
