Quartz

specimen number:
1052524

location:
Moosegg, Scheffau am Tennengebirge, Golling, Hallein, Salzburg, Austria

description:
Blue veins of massive quartz throughout this matrix. This is classic European material, often referred to as sapphirine quartz. The specimen comes with an antique label as shown at the end of the video and dates to the very early 20th century, if not earlier.

The blue quartz from Moosegg occurs within the Northern Limestone Alps. The coloration is not intrinsic to the quartz crystal lattice but is instead caused by dense, microscopic inclusions of fibrous blue minerals, specifically magnesio-riebeckite or crocidolite. These inclusions are often so concentrated that the quartz appears as an opaque, deep indigo or grayish-blue. Historically, the most notable specimens were collected from the Grabenbach (Grubbach) area, where the quartz was found in hydrothermal veins cutting through the sedimentary host rock. While massive material is more common, lucky collectors have occasionally found small, sharp, doubly terminated crystals that remain highly prized as a classic European mineral specialty.

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