RUTILE
Specimen rut-9
$ 36.00Dims: 2.0 x 0.8 x 0.7" (5.1 x 2.0 x 1.7 cm)
Wt: 22.4 g
Novo Horizonte, Bahia, Brazil
This thumbnail specimen consists of a single double-terminated quartz crystal that is permeated by scores of golden Rutile needles. These needles reach lengths of over 1" (2.5 cm) and do not exceed 1 mm in diameter, as almost all are thinner than human hair. They have the standard golden-yellow coloration and metallic luster, and are in excellent condition, being protected by their quartz matrix. The quartz crystal that contains them is also in excellent condition, as only a few very small fractures make up the extent of its damage. Its hexagonal prismatic form is rather warped due to its intergrowth with other crystals, but its intact edges are straight and well-defined and its intact faces are clean, possessing the standard vitreous luster. It is colorless, transparent, and aside from the interference caused by the Rutile needles, is quite clear, as only a few small, shallow internal fractures are visible. Some of the Rutile needles grow outwards from small hematite crystals, most of which lie on the quartz's surface. A few, however, are completely included; one of these in particular is clearly visible through a termination face.