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Quartz

Unknown Owner
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Choice cluster of glassy gemmy quartz crystals. These are known as Herkimer diamonds. Very minimal micro-damage present, this is in good condition. Complete all around. Very little attached matrix."Herkimer diamonds" are double-terminated quartz crystals found in outcroppings of Little Falls Dolostone, a Cambrian-age sedimentary rock formed approximately 500 million years ago in what is now Herkimer County, New York. During the rock's formation, ancient marine waters became trapped in cavities, creating highly saline, high-pressure environments where silicon-rich fluids slowly crystallized into exceptionally clear, eighteen-sided quartz crystals with natural facets at both ends. Historically, native Mohawk people and early European settlers found these sparkling stones loose in soil and streams, but formal geological interest and commercial extraction began in the late nineteenth century when quarrying exposed the underlying dolostone. Today, the region hosts active mining sites where collectors and commercial operations extract these unique crystals from vugs, which are often lined with a dark, hydrocarbon coating known as anthraxolite.

Product details

SizeSmall Cabinet
Dimensions8.5 x 5.5 x 3.5 cm
Added on07/20/2026

Known provenance

DateCollectorAcquisition price
07/2026Unknown Owner$280.00
Weinrich MineralsNot disclosed

Learn more

Quartz
Mineral guide
Learn about Quartz
a versatile mineral with clear, milky, and colored varieties; crystal forms, formation clues, and tips for identifying amethyst and citrine.
Quartz
Regional guide
Quartz from Herkimer County, USA
Herkimer Quartz, Herkimer County, New York - iconic doubly terminated crystals, glassy and water-clear, prized for locality variety and collector appeal.