Quartz var. Faden, Beidellite from Waziristan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province, Pakistan

$135.00

A unique and beautiful example of Faden Quartz from an old find in Waziristan, Pakistan. This particular specimen is an aggregate of several interjoined fadens that occupy different, subparallel planes. What makes this piece very special is the presence of gorgeous, deep blue highlights found near the tips and in between some of the crystals. X-ray (EDS) analysis confirms that the blue mineral is Beidellite, a Smectite group member. Let me stress that this does not appear to be an inclusion; rather it is tenaciously attached to the Quartz, especially in the nooks and crannies, and was probably part of the environment that these few fadens were found in (it does not wash off). Even without the blue color, this is quite an outstanding specimen – a very complex cluster and quite large compared to most of the ones that I’ve seen; it is also incredibly beautiful and in excellent condition. It is also a FLOATER, with all surfaces crystallized and no apparent point of attachment.