Quartz

specimen number:
2062812

location:
Ace of Diamonds Mine, Middleville, New York, USA

description:
Glassy gem double terminated crystal of quartz to 2.4 cm in length set in an open pocket within this matrix. One smaller quartz crystal is present as well. In super condition. These are often called Herkimer Diamonds. The specimen comes with a previous label from the collection of Ray DeMark. The back of his label notes that this was collected in October, 2005 by Matt Glass from what is known as the Table Layer at this locality.

The Ace of Diamonds Mine in Middleville, New York, is situated in an exposed region of the Cambrian-aged Little Falls Dolostone, where ancient shallow sea sediments host remarkable pockets of exceptionally clear, double-terminated quartz crystals known popularly as Herkimer diamonds. Formed nearly 500 million years ago when silica-rich fluids crystallized inside cavities within the carbonate host rock, these unique minerals were originally utilized by indigenous populations and early European settlers who discovered them weathering out of local stream beds and fields. Over time, casual surface collecting evolved into structured recreational fee-mining and quarrying operations, attracting global rockhounds and tourists eager to crack open the tough dolostone rock and unearth these brilliant collector specimens.

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