Willemseite in Quartz

specimen number:
2133254

location:
Marlborough, Queensland, Australia

description:
Green willemseite infused throughout massive quartz. This material is often referred to in the gem trade as chrysoprase.

The Marlborough chrysoprase deposits, located in Central Queensland, Australia, represent one of the worlds highest-quality sources of gem-grade green chalcedony. Geologically, the deposit is hosted within the Marlborough Serpentine Belt, where the weathering and secondary enrichment of ultramafic rocks (serpentinite) under subtropical conditions led to the concentration of nickel. This nickel acts as the coloring agent, providing the characteristic vivid apple-green hue to the cryptocrystalline silica that filled veins and fractures within the weathered rock profile. Historically, the Marlborough deposits were first recognized for their gemstone potential in the early 1960s, with significant commercial mining beginning around 1963. The most famous operation, the Marlborough Chrysoprase Mine (often associated with the Candala and Gum Tree leases), became a primary global supplier for several decades, especially to Asian markets. While mining activity has fluctuated based on global demand and ownership changes, the region remains a benchmark locality for the mineral, celebrated for its translucency and intense color that rivals fine jade.

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