Top Ten Quartz Localities

Quartz is one of the most abundant minerals in Earth’s crust. The majority of rocks known to science contain quartz as either an essential constituent or very common accessory. There are likely tens of thousands of localities that have been known to produce good specimens of quartz whether it is amorphous, like agate or jasper, or occurs in well formed crystals. Quartz can also pseudomorph many other minerals and replace biological tissue in the fossilization process.

Here is a list of ten of Where to Find Rocks’ favorite quartz localities. They are in no particular order but represent a selection of some of what are widely considered to be many of the world’s finest localities for quartz whether it is forming distinct crystals or is amorphous like agate.

 

  1. Chrysoprase from Australia

Chrysoprase is a bright apple green variety of chalcedony that is colored by nickel minerals. Its bright, uniform color and high hardness makes it an extremely popular kind of lapidary material. Chrysoprase is fairly rare worldwide, but the Australian mines produce extremely high quality material in such great abundance that it probably composes over 3/4ths of current production of chrysoprase rough. The primary areas in Australia that are mined for Chrysoprase are mostly in Queensland and Western Australia. Chrysoprase here formed in the iron oxide and silica cap of a deeply weathered ultramafic rock, probably a serpentinite.

 

  1. Amethyst Cathedrals from Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, and Artigas, Uruguay

Amethyst crystal lined geodes from commercial specimen quarries in Southern Brazil and Uruguay can be considered iconic and common mineral specimens. These majestic geodes are often sold as souvenirs and have been extremely popular for decades due to their sculptural, cavernous shape and deep purple, euhedral crystals that line their interior. Their great abundance in this part of South America makes them very affordable- millions of these geodes have been mined and sold. Sometimes, amethyst geodes from this region are heated in giant kilns to change their color from purple amethyst to yellow or orange citrine. Amethyst geodes greater than ten feet in length have been collected from the region, which are often popular display items in educational public displays. White calcite crystals also occasionally form in the geodes and make a nice accessory.

 

  1. Gwindel Quartz Crystals from the European Alps

Gwindel quartz crystals are extremely rare stacks of parallel growing quartzes which form a helical shaped, composite crystal. Two kinds of gwindel quartz crystals have been found- open and closed gwindels. In an open gwindel, the terminations and faces of the crystals that form the gwindel are all distinct. In a closed gwindel, the individual crystals in the gwindel share faces and form a larger, composite crystal with a tabular shape. The helical twist seen in the crystals is either right or left handed. Gwindels occur in their greatest frequency in the European Alps. Still, they are quite rare and are found typically individually with hundreds or thousands of other quartz crystals in pockets. A gwindel has yet to be recovered from North America or Australia.

 

  1. Ajoite and Papagoite included Quartz from the Messina Mine, Limpopo, South Africa

The Messina Mine in South Africa produces some very unique and exceptional quartz crystals. The inclusions inside these crystals is what truly makes them unique Wisps and clouds of green and blue ajoite and papagoite- two very rare copper silicates are found floating in the middle of the crystals. Often, the faces of these crystals are etched enough to obscure the beautiful inclusions so they are polished. Some crystals do not require polishing and those with dense, colorful inclusions are the most valuable Messina specimens.

 

  1. Amethyst from near Brandberg, Erongo Region, Namibia

The Goboboseb Range near Brandberg, Namibia produces some of the world’s most unique amethysts. Crystals from these basaltic rocks occur in every shape imaginable and have tremendously varied and beautiful inclusions. Some crystals have liquid with tiny air bubbles trapped inside of them. When the crystals are tilted, the air bubbles move. Zoning of amethystine color with stripes of clear quartz is common in Brandberg specimens. Iron minerals such as goethite and lepidocrocite often includes these quartzes and adds nice contrast to these specimens.

 

  1. Rock Crystal from the Hot Springs, Arkansas area

The US has many important quartz localities but the Hot Springs area is an easy contender for first place in terms of producing huge commercial volumes of excellent crystals, which occur in a webbing of hydrothermal veins that criss-cross the sedimentary rocks of the Ouachita Mountains. Millions of specimens have been collected from the Arkansas localities and their crystals are esteemed for their sharpness and clarity. Quartz has also been mined in this area because it is defect and impurity free enough to use in electronics with minimal processing. Some of the mines in the Hot Springs area allow guests to collect material at their mines for a fee. Excellent material is still found at them by casual collectors.

 

  1. Herkimer Diamonds from around Herkimer Co., New York

Herkimer diamonds get their name from the stories of early laborers digging the Erie Canal who found these peculiar quartz crystals and confused them for diamonds. Mineralogists at the time quickly knew they were misidentifying the crystals but were still amazed at their sharpness, clarity, and brilliance. Since this discovery over 100 years ago, Herkimer diamonds have continuously been mined from the Little Falls dolomite, which is found just south of the Adirondack Mountains. Herkimer diamonds are often found associated with calcite, dolomite, and sometimes pyrite. Many commercial and fee dig Herkimer diamond localities still produce great specimens.

 

  1. Minas Gerais and Bahia, Brazil

A wide variety of quartz specimens have been found from these large Brazilian provinces commonly known for their minerals. It is likely that over 10 different varieties of quartz can be found between the province. Among the most famous specimens are rutilated quartz from Ibitiara, Bahia, Brazil. The unusual locality produces by far the most rutilated quartz in the world in addition to other kinds of interesting specimens. Many quartz locations near Diamantina, Minas Gerais are mined for crystals of very clear rock crystal. Some of these plain quartz localities can produce crystals meters in length! Rose quartz and tourmalinated quartz usually comes from pegmatites in Minas Gerais.

 

  1. Dodo Mine, Subpolar Urals, Tyumenskaya Oblast, Russia

The Dodo Mine was operated in the frigid subpolar extent of the Ural Mountains of Central Russia for extremely high quality quartz. Though most of the initial mining was for electronics and optics purposes and did not save any crystals (they were’ore’), many have been recovered throughout history thus preserving Russia’s best quartz locality. The Dodo Mine produces extremely distinctive smoky quartz that has orange or yellow tints to it. Quartz gwindels have also been found at this locality

 

  1. Agate from Idar-Oberstein, Germany

Idar-Oberstein is often known as ‘The City of Gemcutters’ for its history as being an important worldwide center of lapidary production and artisanship for centuries. The presence of gemcutters is not what originally brought business to Idar-Oberstein however. Many gorgeous agates have been found in basalt quarries in the area. These agates are cherished for their color and form. In addition to agate, quartz crystals in vugs as well as a few zeolites can be found in Idar-Oberstein.