Quartz

specimen number:
2072105

location:
Hot Springs area, Arkansas, USA

description:
Attractive glassy gem crystals of quartz measuring to 5.0 cm in size aesthetically coming off matrix. Slight micro-chipping present, overall this is in good condition.

The quartz deposits of the Ouachita Mountains near Hot Springs and Mount Ida, Arkansas, are world-renowned for producing some of the highest-quality silica crystals on Earth. Geologically, these deposits formed during the Ouachita Orogeny approximately 245 to 280 million years ago, when intense tectonic pressure folded and fractured the local Paleozoic sedimentary rocks, such as the Crystal Mountain Sandstone and Blakely Sandstone. Hydrothermal fluids, rich in dissolved silica, circulated through these open fractures and cavities at high temperatures, allowing for the slow growth of exceptionally pure and transparent quartz crystals. Historically, the indigenous Caddo people first utilized the stone for tools and ceremonial items thousands of years ago. By the mid-19th century, European settlers began mining the region, and the area eventually earned the title of the Quartz Crystal Capital of the World.

For mineral collectors, the Arkansas quartz belt is famous for its "rock crystal" variety, which is prized for its incredible clarity, brilliant luster, and sharp hexagonal prisms. The crystals often occur in large clusters or as double-terminated points, frequently found in "pockets" filled with red clay within the weathered sandstone. Mount Ida, in particular, remains a major hub for both commercial mining and public dig sites, where enthusiasts can still find spectacular specimens ranging from tiny "diamond" points to massive clusters weighing hundreds of pounds. The historical significance of the region is further cemented by the nearby Hot Springs, where the same geological forces created the thermal waters that made the area a famous 19th-century resort destination. Today, Arkansas quartz remains a definitive standard for American mineralogy and is a staple in scientific, industrial, and metaphysical collections globally.

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