Topaz

specimen number:
8911054

location:
Taquaral, Itinga, Minas Gerais, Brazil

description:
Gorgeous glassy gem quality blue crystal of topaz. This is naturally crystallized all around. Very slight micro-damage present on one corner, this still very good. No points of attachment. This weighs 197.83 g. The specimen comes with a previous label from the Alton collection. Prior to that, this was part of the collection of Kary Hiatt.

The Taquaral district in the municipality of Itinga, located within the Middle Jequitinhonha Valley of Minas Gerais, Brazil, is renowned for its rich granitic pegmatites associated with the Neoproterozoic Araçuai Orogen. For decades, artisanal miners known as garimpeiros have exploited these weathered pegmatite bodies and alluvial gravels, utilizing traditional digging methods to extract world-class gemstone and mineral specimens. The region is particularly famous among mineral collectors for producing sharp, gem-quality blue topaz crystals occurring in open miarolitic cavities alongside albite, quartz, and various lithium-bearing minerals. Topaz specimens from Taquaral are highly prized for their vitreous luster, well-developed crystal terminations, and distinctive natural blue color, making this locality one of the iconic pegmatite mining destinations in eastern Brazil.

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