Quartz

specimen number:
1052659

location:
Harzgerode, Harz, Saxony-Anhalt, Germany

description:
Originally from the collection of Wilhelm Hoyer, this 19th century example shows large colorless slightly translucent crystals of quartz to 5.0 cm in size covering the top of matrix. Very slight chipping present, this still in very good condition. The specimen comes with an antique label as shown at the end of the video.

Wilhelm Hoyer (1849-1913) was a prominent German engineer and mineral collector based in Hanover, whose professional work in railway construction and geology facilitated the assembly of a significant mineralogical collection. Geologically, Hoyer was noted for his deep expertise in the Mesozoic formations of northwestern Germany, particularly the Hildesheim area, where he meticulously documented and collected specimens from active quarries and construction sites. His collection was scientifically important for its comprehensive representation of regional minerals and fossils, reflecting the systematic approach of 19th-century European collectors who bridged the gap between industrial mining and academic mineralogy. Historically, Hoyer was active in the latter half of the 1800s and early 1900s, contributing numerous papers to geological societies and maintaining professional ties with major institutions of his era. Following his death, his extensive mineralogical and paleontological holdings were integrated into the collections of the University of Gottingen and the Prussian Geological Survey in Berlin, where they continue to serve as vital reference materials for researchers through 2026.

The Harzgerode mining district, located in the Lower Harz region of Saxony-Anhalt, Germany, is a historic center for the extraction of silver-bearing lead and zinc ores. Geologically, the area is situated within the Harzgerode Fold Zone, characterized by a complex tectonic melange of Devonian and Carboniferous sedimentary rocks, including shales, greywackes, and limestones. Mineralization occurred within hydrothermal vein systems that precipitated argentiferous galena, sphalerite, and siderite, along with rare antimony-bearing minerals such as bournonite and boulangerite. Historically, mining and underground quarrying in Harzgerode date back to the 10th century, with systematic production expanding significantly during the 16th century under the Dukes of Anhalt. The district reached a technological peak in the 18th and 19th centuries, notably at the Albertine Mine and the Glasebach Mine, where innovative water-management systems were employed to reach deeper ore bodies. Large-scale industrial operations began to decline in the early 20th century due to ore depletion and falling metal prices, leading to the final closure of the major mines by the 1930s.

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