Quartz

specimen number:
1052647

location:
Bristenstock, Bristen, Reuss Valley, Uri, Switzerland

description:
A very pretty grouping of glassy gemmy quartz crystals, these slightly orange in color due to iron oxide. In great condition. The specimen comes with an antique label as shown at the end of the video. The original acquisition date is given is 1903.

The Bristenstock, a prominent mountain peak in the Reuss Valley of Canton Uri, Switzerland, is a classic alpine locality celebrated for its exceptional rock crystal quartz. Geologically, the mountain is part of the Aare Massif, composed primarily of Variscan-age granitic rocks and gneisses that were subjected to intense tectonic forces during the Alpine orogeny. These forces created vertical and horizontal brittle fractures known as alpine fissures, where hydrothermal silica-rich fluids circulated and crystallized into clear, well-formed quartz points over millions of years. Historically, the extraction of these crystals has been the domain of the strahlers, traditional mountain prospectors whose activities in the region have been documented since the 18th century. Unlike industrial mining, the quarrying of rock crystal on the Bristenstock is a small-scale, artisanal pursuit that continues through 2026 under strict cantonal regulations. The locality is particularly famous for its high-altitude finds, with some of the most significant specimens recovered from fissures located at elevations exceeding 2500 meters.

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