Quartz (pseudocubic)

specimen number:
2063370

location:
Tamminen Quarry, Greenwood, Oxford Co., Maine, USA

description:

Unusual glassy gem colorless pseudo-cubic crystal of quartz just under 1.0 cm on edge set on matrix. In great condition.

The Tamminen Quarry, located in Greenwood within Oxford County, Maine, is a famous granitic pegmatite deposit that forms part of the New England Appalachian orogenic belt. First opened in the early twentieth century by Frank Tamminen and later mined commercially for feldspar, beryl, and mica, the site eventually became a renowned destination for amateur mineral collectors. Beyond its rich yield of lithium and beryllium minerals, the quarry achieved special status among collectors for producing rare pseudocubic quartz specimens. These unusual quartz crystals feature heavily distorted rhombohedral faces that closely resemble perfect cubes, created through specific hydrothermal growth conditions within the cooling pegmatite pockets.

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