Quartz

specimen number:
2292441

location:
Ourika Valley, High Atlas Mtns., Morocco

description:
A large open geode cavity lined with crystallized quartz, some of these stalactites. In good condition.

The Ourika Valley, located in the High Atlas Mountains of Morocco, is characterized by a complex geological history involving the collision of tectonic plates and subsequent uplift. The region consists of Precambrian and Paleozoic basement rocks, including granites and metamorphic formations, which were fractured and intruded by hydrothermal fluids during various orogenic events. These geological conditions provided the necessary environment for the formation of quartz veins. Historically, the local population has engaged in the small-scale collection and extraction of these minerals from the mountainsides, often utilizing traditional hand tools. While the valley is geographically significant for its biodiversity and river systems, it has also become a recognized source for quartz, with specimens often extracted from weathered pockets and debris deposits found along the mountain slopes and streambeds.

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