Quartz

specimen number:
8311306

location:
Piedra Parada, Las Vigas, Veracruz, Mexico

description:
Classic Mexican specimen with beautiful gemmy and glassy crystals of quartz, this is the variety known as an amethyst, measuring to almost 5.0 cm in size coming off matrix. This is in super condition. Aesthetic and colorful.

The Piedra Parada locality, situated near the town of Las Vigas de Ramirez in Veracruz, Mexico, is world-famous for producing some of the most elegant and aesthetic amethyst specimens ever discovered. Geologically, these crystals are found within hydrothermal pockets and gas vesicles of a Tertiary-aged basaltic and andesitic volcanic host rock. The amethyst from this region is characterized by its long, slender, and highly transparent prismatic crystals, which often exhibit a delicate pale violet to deep purple color concentrated at the tips. Historically, the area has been worked for decades, with the most significant specimen production occurring from the mid-20th century through the present day. Unlike large industrial mines, the extraction at Piedra Parada is primarily conducted by local miners using traditional hand tools to carefully preserve the fragile crystal clusters. This site remains a premier source for mineral collectors who value the unique habit and exceptional clarity that distinguish Veracruz amethyst from the more common Brazilian or Uruguayan varieties.

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