Ajoite-included Quartz
Image: <bdi><a href="https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q56247090" class="extiw" title="d:Q56247090"><span title="mineral collector and dealer">Robert M. Lavinsky</span></a></bdi> (CC BY-SA 3.0)
Mineral NameAjoite-included Quartz
Chemical FormulaSiO2
Mohs Hardness7
Crystal Systemtrigonal
Lustervitreous
Streak Colorwhite
Cleavagenone
Fractureconchoidal
Specific Gravity2.65
Colorsclear, white, blue-green, reddish-brown
Transparencytransparent
Type LocalityMessina mine, Messina District, Limpopo Province, South Africa
Mineral GroupSilicates
Usescollector, jewelry
Associated Mineralsajoite, quartz
Rarityuncommon
Description
This specimen features a prominent, clear quartz crystal with striking blue-green inclusions of ajoite, growing on a matrix composed of smaller, granular quartz crystals and reddish-brown material.
Geological Context
Quartz is a common mineral forming in various igneous, metamorphic, and sedimentary environments. Ajoite is a rare secondary copper mineral typically found in oxidized zones of copper deposits, often forming in association with quartz in hydrothermal veins.
