Hematite with Quartz

specimen number:
1052559

location:
Cavradi gorge, Val Curnera, Tujetsch, Surselva, Grisons, Switzerland

description:
Classic Swiss Alpine specimen with bright lustrous metallic crystals of hematite measuring to 2.5 cm in size on matrix with quartz. Some damage present as seen. Rutile is present as well, typical of the locality. The specimen comes with an antique label as shown at the end of the video and dates to the very early 20th century.

The Cavradi Gorge, located in the Val Curnera of the Tujetsch region in Graubuenden, Switzerland, is world-famous for its spectacular Alpine-fissure mineral deposits. Geologically, the gorge is situated within the Ceneri Zone of the Gotthard Massif, where tectonic forces created open cavities or clefts in metamorphic rocks like gneiss and schist. These fissures were later filled by hydrothermal fluids that crystallized into exceptional mineral specimens during the late stages of the Alpine orogeny. Historically, the area has been explored for centuries by local crystal hunters known as Strahler, with significant activity recorded throughout the 19th and 20th centuries. While not a commercial mine in the industrial sense, it is a legendary mineral locality celebrated for producing the finest hematite crystals in the Alps. The hematite from Cavradi typically occurs as lustrous, mirror-like iron roses, which are rosettes of tabular crystals often found associated with smoky quartz, rutile, and adularia. Due to the high altitude and difficult terrain, the recovery of these specimens remains a seasonal and arduous task, preserving the site's status as a premier destination for mineralogical research and elite collecting.

Questions about this specimen?
Send an email or call us: 314-341-1811.