Name: Topaz
Brand: The Mineralogical Museum, University of Delaware

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Topaz

Topaz, 11.4 cm (966.5 grams), from near Streeter, Mason County, Texas. Topaz was first discovered in Texas near Streeter in Mason County in 1904 by R. L. Parker, who recognized that some stream pebbles were too heavy to be quartz. However, it was not until 1907 that non-alluvial crystals were found in place in pockets associated with feldspar and smoky quartz. In 1908, more good crystals were found and a new locality 12 miles north was discovered where slightly blue crystals 3 inches in diameter were reported. In subsequent years numerous pits have produced topaz, loose in washes of decomposed granite. One of these, the McGehee prospect, produced some very large but imperfect crystals up to 45.7 ounces—today in the Smithsonian Institution collection. It is not known if the sharp-faced specimen that Kunz sold to du Pont was from an earlier pocket discovery or was an extraordinarily well-preserved crystal from a stream deposit. The catalog number (88/3322) suggests an earlier origin than most of the specimens in the collection, which were usually assigned a number beginning with 315.

The Mineralogical Museum, University of Delaware

Product details

Species

Topaz

SizeMuseum

Dimensions1140.0 cm

Locality

near Streeter, Mason County, Texas

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