Quartz with Pyrite and Chlorite

Unknown Owner

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Belgium is not renowned for its Quartz crystals, or is it? At Bierghes in Walloon Brabant, a Porphyry quarry which produces the iconic cobble stones, has at times encountered extremely fine colourless Rock Crystal Quartz crystals. These crystals often display the 'Dauphine-type' extreme preferential development of one of the pyramidal crystal faces. This large flat plate presents many well-formed Quartz crystals with dark green Chlorite along the base and as inclusions within the base of the crystals. The Quartz crystals exceptionally reach 6 cm in length but 3 to 4 cm is more typical. The crystals, and indeed the whole specimen is full of character, the Quartz crystals displaying prominent horizontal growth lines. Most of the crystals protrude from the thin (1 cm thick) Quartz-Chlorite matrix at an angle between 30 and 70 degrees, with just a few near vertical. Several of the crystals have chipping to their termination but from a short distance this damage is not immediately visible and the specimen displays very well. For a Belgium Quartz this is a very nice display piece. Ex David Hardman Collection.