TERRIUM — A mineralogy cabinet

Cuarzo Azul

Cuarzo is a mineral with formula SiO₂, in the Silicatos [Tectosilicatos (Grupo Cuarzo)] group. This specimen comes from Cantera Juanona, Antequera, Málaga, Andalucía, España and joined the Terrium collection in 2006.

Cuarzo Azul from Cantera Juanona, Antequera, Málaga, Andalucía, España — Terrium

Description

Bluish-grey, translucent crystals on very light limonitic matrix. Modest but very interesting under the loupe.

History of this specimen

Number 787 in the Aleydis collection. The specimen comes from the old quarry.

About Cuarzo

Blue quartz from the Juanona quarry achieved worldwide fame. Some authors explained the colour by inclusions of blue amphiboles, while others pointed to the possible presence of extremely fine needles of aerinite. The most recent studies favour the latter hypothesis, although there is still no definitive consensus. The chromatic rarity and the intensity of the blue make these specimens a benchmark among blue quartz.

About the locality

At Juanona, the crystals fill 0.5–1 cm joints in highly fractured and altered ophite blocks, produced by silica-rich residual fluids during intense hydrothermal activity. The quarry, now exhausted, yielded specimens celebrated for the vivid colour. In Spain only a few localities in Cádiz (Olvera, Torrealhaquime and Coripe) have shown similar associations, but the Juanona specimens stood out as a world reference for blue quartz.

Technical data

Catalogue No.
0347
Composition
SiO₂
Name
Cuarzo
Variety
Azul
Group
Silicatos [Tectosilicatos (Grupo Cuarzo)]
Category
Cupidium
Matrix
Matriz limonítica
Mine
Cantera Juanona
District / Municipality
Antequera
Province
Málaga
Region
Andalucía
Country
España
Size (cm)
4.5 x 3 x 3
Weight
111.5 g
Acquired
2006
Ex-collection
Aleydis Soliveres
Etymology
From German "Quarz", of uncertain origin, probably of Slavic root.
Quality
Buena
Value trend
Estable

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