Quartz (SIL-0019)

specimen number:
9273076

location:
Tormiq Valley, Roundu, Gilgit-Baltistan, Pakistan

description:

A beautiful glassy gem complete floater naturally etched crystal of quartz. In terrific condition all around. Exceptionally fine and it usually example for the species.

The Tormiq Valley, nestled within the rugged Haramosh Mountains of the Roundu District in Gilgit-Baltistan, Pakistan, is a prominent mineral-producing region legendary for its diverse alpine-cleft mineral assemblages. Geologically, the valley sits at a high elevation within the high-grade metamorphic and crystalline sequences of the Karakoram and Himalayan collision zones, where extreme tectonic compression generated extensive fracturing and fluid circulation. Low-to-medium temperature hydrothermal fluids migrating through these open structural cracks formed classic alpine clefts lined with exceptional crystal formations, notably metallic iron-titanium oxides like tabular ilmenite roses, sharp rutile needles, and wedge-shaped titanite, often associated with glassy quartz, clinozoisite, and albite feldspar. Historically, primitive artisanal exploration of these high-altitude mountain fissures began in earnest during the early 1970s as international mineral markets expanded into the Northern Areas of Pakistan. Because the extremely steep, hazardous terrain at elevations often exceeding four thousand meters prevents any large-scale industrialization or heavy mechanical open-cast quarrying, mining has remained exclusively restricted to highly selective, seasonal manual trenching and manual cleft extraction by local independent miners. These localized, small-scale crystal recovery efforts operate intermittently between late spring and autumn when weather allows, ensuring the valley remains a prolific source of pristine, world-renowned display specimens for the international collector market through 2026.

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