Brandberg crystals from the Gobobos diggings in the shadow
of the great Brandberg Mountain in Damaraland, Namibia, are widely known
as being some of the finest Quartz crystals in the world. They have a
range of amazing and unusual features including their super-shiny vitreous
luster, which gives them an almost polished look, although they are 100%
natural and straight from the African earth! Some are water-clear while
others have amazing phantoms (areas of color within the crystal which
often follow the contours of the point) either of amethyst (purple) or
of a smoky color. Still others have bright red or metallic flecks within
the crystal, made up of Hematite or Lepidocrocite, both forms of iron
oxide.
Another amazing feature is the Enhydro crystal with tiny
moving bubbles that slide and dance about in little water-filled chambers
within the crystal. Enhydro means: ‘water within’. Numbers
of theories have been advanced by Geologists to explain the source of
the these fascinating moving bubbles. Here is one of our favorites: crystallization
occurs from a slow cooling process of the mineral Quartz solution after
volcanic activity. When, as the result of a freak occurrence, this cooling
process is greatly accelerated, a small amount of water is sometimes trapped
within the crystal as it solidifies. Sometimes a little air is trapped
within this water, resulting in the formation of a moving bubble inside
a water-filled cavity within the crystal. When the crystal is rotated,
or gently moved from side to side, the bubble moves! This amazing, almost
unbelievable sight is endlessly fascinating and intriguing to watch!
Some crystals are ‘floaters’, which means
that they are completely formed, whole crystals, without any attached
matrix or rocky material.
For these, and many more reasons, Brandberg crystals
have become famous and highly sought after by enthusiasts and collectors
the world over.
|