Muscovite with Quartz
specimen number:
2072273
location:
Cantera Quesge, Pasto Bueno, Ancash, Peru
description: The Quesge Mine, also known as Cantera Quesge, is situated in the Pasto Bueno District of the Pallasca Province in Ancash, Peru, a region famous for its complex hydrothermal mineral systems. Geologically, the deposit is located within the Pasto Bueno mining district, where mineralization occurred through the intrusion of a Miocene-age quartz monzonite stock into Cretaceous sedimentary rocks, specifically the Chicama and Santa Formations. This environment produced a variety of minerals, including a unique and highly aesthetic combination of green muscovite and clear, needle-like quartz crystals. The green coloration of the muscovite, often appearing in small, shimmery scales or larger micaceous books, is typically attributed to the presence of chromium within the silicate structure. Historically, while the broader Pasto Bueno area has been mined for tungsten and base metals since the early 20th century, the specific quarrying and specimen mining at Quesge gained significant international attention in the late 1990s and throughout the 2000s. The site is primarily worked by artisanal and small-scale miners who focus on extracting mineral specimens from pockets in the quartz-rich veins. Today, Quesge remains a celebrated Peruvian locality, specifically prized for its high-contrast associations of vivid green mica on sharp quartz matrices.
Attractive green platy crystallized muscovite scattered across the top of a colorless lustrous quartz crystal grouping. Attractive combination piece, in good condition. Nice for the species.
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