Where is Quartz with Epidote found?
SiO2 (Quartz) and Ca2(Al,Fe)3(SiO4)3(OH) (Epidote)
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Open the appQuartz with Epidote occurs in specific geological environments. Knowing where to look, and in what kind of rock, is the difference between going home empty-handed and finding a great specimen.
Where to find Quartz with Epidote
Knappenwand, Untersulzbachtal, Salzburg, Austria
Famous for producing exceptional epidote crystals, often associated with quartz.
Prince of Wales Mine, Ketchikan, Alaska, USA
Known for fine epidote specimens, sometimes with quartz.
Serifos Island, Cyclades, Greece
Produces excellent epidote crystals, frequently found with quartz.
Pakistan (various localities)
Numerous localities yield high-quality epidote, often in association with quartz.
Brazil (various localities)
Known for various quartz varieties, and epidote can be found in metamorphic and hydrothermal settings.
Collecting tips
- Geological Context. Focus on areas known for regional or contact metamorphism, especially where mafic igneous rocks or calcareous sediments have been altered. Hydrothermal vein systems are also prime targets.
- Color and Habit. Look for the distinctive pistachio-green to dark green color of epidote, often as prismatic crystals or needle-like inclusions within quartz. The quartz itself might be clear, milky, or smoky.
- Associated Minerals. Epidote often co-occurs with other metamorphic minerals such as actinolite, chlorite, garnet, plagioclase, and calcite. Finding these can indicate a favorable environment.
- Vein Systems. Examine quartz veins cutting through metamorphic or altered igneous rocks. Epidote can line the walls of these veins or be intergrown with the quartz.
Quick Check
- Color:
- Green (epidote) within colorless, white, or smoky (quartz)
- Luster:
- Vitreous
- Streak:
- White (quartz), grayish-white (epidote)
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