Quartz with Fuchsite

specimen number:
1712679

location:
Ihovitra, Ambatofinandrahana, Madagascar

description:

Attractive loose gem crystal of quartz with a sharp phantom inclusion lined by green fuchsite. Very slight chipping present as seen.

Ihovitra, situated within the rugged Itremo massif region of Ambatofinandrahana in central Madagascar, is a notable locality within the island nation's rich metamorphic and structural terrain. Geologically, the area is dominated by ancient Precambrian metasedimentary sequences, including marbles, quartzites, and calc-silicate rocks that underwent intense regional metamorphism and tectonic deformation during the Pan-African orogeny. Mineralogically, Ihovitra has gained international acclaim among collectors for producing exceptional quartz specimens featuring green fuchsite inclusions. These remarkable crystals often display distinct phantom outlines, where successive stages of crystal growth are highlighted by layers of chromium-rich mica (fuchsite) trapped along earlier termination faces. Mining in this remote mountainous region is conducted primarily through small-scale artisanal pocket-digging operations rather than standardized industrial mining, with exact historical opening dates largely unrecorded.

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