Quartz

specimen number:
1052615

location:
Brusson, Aosta Valley, Italy

description:

Neat and attractive cluster of double terminated quartz crystals from one of the old gold mines in this area. Some damage present, still very nice. The specimen comes with an antique label as shown at the end of the video. This label provides an acquisition date of 1909.

Brusson, located in the Ayas Valley of the Aosta Valley region in northern Italy, is a historic mining area nestled within the Penninic Alps. Geologically, the region is dominated by the Monte Rosa Nappe, where tectonic activity created high-pressure metamorphic environments and significant quartz-gold vein systems hosted in gneiss and mica-schist. These veins frequently produced clear, well-formed quartz crystals, often in association with native gold, pyrite, and tetrahedrite. Historically, mining and quarrying activities in the Brusson district date back to Roman times, but the most intensive industrial period occurred between 1900 and 1910 under the management of the English company The Evancon Gold Mining Company Limited. The Chamousira Fenilliaz mine was the most productive site during this era, yielding substantial quantities of gold before operations became sporadic and eventually ceased by the mid-twentieth century. Today, the Chamousira mine has been preserved as a cultural and historical museum, allowing visitors to explore the underground tunnels and learn about the unique mineralogy of the Western Alps.

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