Natural Lwena Hematoid Smoky Asylum Quartz Cluster - 96mm, 344g

Locality - Lwena, Congo
Size – 96 x 65 x 48mm
Weight – 344g

This asylum quartz cluster flaunts zoned, rich crimson red hematite phantoms and metallic black hematite flecks suspended within its clear crystal points and excellent formation with chunky, sharp terminations showing only minor, unobtrusive chips. It has a solid, sturdy matrix and, along with its considerable size, proves to make a fantastic display specimen.

These unique asylum quartz specimens are an exciting new discovery from Lwena Mine in Congo, the same mine that produces some of the worlds finest genuine citrine. They boast exceptional inclusions varying from red hematite phantoms to mossy green chlorite clouds and shiny copper rutile needles, exhibiting an array of visual aesthetics and vivid colours, and are truly natural works of art.

Quartz is the most common mineral found on the surface of the Earth, occurring in virtually every locality. Pure crystals are colourless, transparent and hard, though many are coloured by natural processes such as irradiation or by the presence of certain elements within them. These coloured varieties include the popular gemstones amethyst, purple quartz, and citrine, yellow quartz. Some quartz crystals have unique inclusions of minerals that have grown within them, such as golden rutile, tourmaline or chlorite, and others may show silvery reflective internal veils and bright rainbows. Whilst the majority of quartz is created from molten magma that has cooled and crystallized, much quartz also chemically precipitates from hot hydrothermal veins. Well-formed crystals deep within the Earth can reach colossal sizes, with some measuring several meters in length and weighing hundreds of kilograms.