Beryl

specimen number:
2063609

location:
Habach valley, Bramberg am Wildkogel, Zell am See, Salzburg, Austria

description:
Classic European specimen with three green slightly translucent semi lustrous prismatic crystals of beryl, this the variety known as emerald, the largest measuring 1.5 x 0.5 x 0.3 cm in size. These are scattered across the top of a schist matrix and slightly embedded. In good condition. The specimen comes with a previous label from the collection of Ray DeMark, he acquired the piece from Ward's Natural Science around the year 1950.

Located in the Hohe Tauern mountain range within Bramberg am Wildkogel, Zell am See, Salzburg, Austria, the Habach valley is world-famous for its unique metamorphic emerald deposit. Geologically, these emeralds formed at the collision contact zone between beryllium-rich granite gneisses and chromium-bearing mica schists, where intense regional metamorphism, high pressure, and tectonic fluids allowed rare elements to combine. The history of emerald mining in the Habach valley dates back to antiquity, with potential Celtic and Roman activity followed by documented medieval extraction and intense 19th-century commercial operations. Today, commercial mining has ceased, but the valley remains a historic pilgrimage site for mineral collectors and prospectors seeking classic European emerald specimens preserved in dark schist matrix.

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