FMF - Friends of Minerals Forum, discussion and message board

[Scott LaBorde]

Since I live in an area that produces the tessin habit quartz I have become a huge fan of this habit. I was wondering if you have seen examples of single crystal double terminated tessin habit quartz crystals. I have seen poor examples where one termination is questionable or short and stubby. But I'm envisioning a long slender and tappering clear crystal (or clear smokey) terminating at both ends. I attached a photo of one of my personal finds for reference. I would love to see something like that on both ends of a single crystal.

I've yet see one for myself. Please direct me to picture, website, or reference in which I might see one for myself if possible. Else, post a picture here of one you might own. Thank you for any help.

Scott

[Jason]

Hey scott..fancy meeting you here..that was an excellent find you made in the Alpine type vein the other week..well done on that..one day i will make it up that way so save a few specs. for me...Please>>>
jason

[Scott LaBorde]

Jason,

The invitation is always open. You could stay at my house if you wanted. I would take you to all the best spots I know. Just let me know when you want to do it.

Scott

[Peter]

Tessiner habit is rather common also in pegmatites and pockets in the Volodarsk area (Volhyn Piezo quartz deposit) produced numerous crystals (also doubly teminated) see article in MR Nov-Dec 2009 as well as the Karelia Beryl Mine in Finland (in many respects remionding of Volodarsk). IN Finland dark smoky quartzes are usually only up to 0.5 m in length.
Peter

[Jordi Fabre]

Just an appetizer. Here you have a Tessin habit Quartz from the duplicates of Folch collection. Isn't doubly terminated but its bottom is recrystallized.

[Amir Akhavan]

Yes, double terminated Tessin habit crystals occur, but they are rare.
I have seen a few small ones from the Dhading area in Nepal, but was stupid enough to think "I'll come back later" and when I came back they were all gone.

Cheers from Tokyo
Amir

[Scott LaBorde]

Thank you Peter for your references. I will check into them.

[Scott LaBorde]

Thank you Jordi for that excellent picture. The macromosaic structure, the sutures, the clarity, the striations, the shape, all are very appealing to me in these type crystals.

[jimB]

Dear Scott,

I love how you think. Yes i too want to own that Tessin euhedron, twinned on the hypothetical "C" face and perfect beyond description.

..........grins.............

Your unphotoshopped crystal is magnificent. I have a very nice one from Hiddenite, large but not as fine and one collected in 1890s, same locality , same story.

[Peter Megaw]

I think the possibility of another twin plane...along the "distortion" makes the photoshop job more interesting. Scary thing is that no matter how good nature gets, we can always on-up her in our minds. Fun thing is when nature trumps that!

[Scott LaBorde]

Here are a couple more tessin habit crystals I found. We find the beautiful tessin habit smokey crystals and the rutile inclusions just like in the Hiddenite area of NC, yet we've yet to find any Hiddenite or Beryl in our area.

[Pete Richards]

Scott,

Please contact me off-list by email; I'd like to explore some specimen comparing, trading and/or field trips. peterichards(at)oberlin(dot)net.

Thanks,
Pete

[Scott LaBorde]

Maybe transitional habit.

[Antonio Alcaide]

Well, recently I have seen what I think it could be a biterminated tessin quartz. It is from Almuñecar, Granada, Spain (an alpine formation). I have several crystals featuring this habit, but only with one terminated point. I agree with you: the combination of tessin habit and biterminated crystal must be odd, weird.

I remembered having seen one or two. Exactly, I was right. A friend of mine has one strange crystal slightly thick in the middle with two terminations. I hope to post a photo in a couple of days. Most of those crystals are a bit smoky -from this locality-. They have striations and a complex structure.

I am going to upload a picture of a crystal of my own. The rest when the weather gets better.

Kind regards.

[Scott LaBorde]

Thank you Antonio for your picture. I eagerly await the photo of the biterminated tessin habit crystal.

[vic rzonca]

Tessin habit dark smokey from Spruce Hill area of NH.

[Jason]

wrong topic for this thread scott, what about those Baryte and calcites you and bob found..got any pics of those?

[Scott LaBorde]

[Scott LaBorde]

I found these this weekend. I was pretty happy. Although they appear attached, they were actually only attached via the clay between them and are separate crystals.

[Jordi Fabre]

Good job Scott! ;-)