Faden Quartz Crystals

These magical little Faden Quartz Crystals are from Pakistan, where they form in fissures that give them their unique appearance.  Our Faden Quartz Crystals are sold as randomly selected single pieces. They are approximately 1-2" long and ¼-1+" wide.  Faden quartz forms in fissures in the host rock that widen slowly and steadily. Quartz crystals inside the host rock will rupture when the fissure opens. In a silica rich solution, this rupture will heal quickly, forming a crystal that is attached to the opposing rock walls and bridges the new opening. While the fissure continues to open steadily, the crystal will also continue to crack and heal. Because growth is much quicker on fractured surfaces than on regular faces and because it leads to small regular faces on the opposite conchoidal fracture surfaces that do not perfectly match, some of the growth solution is included in the crystal. The repeated rupturing and healing leaves a scar of liquid and gas inclusions in the crystal: a white thread, the "faden". (Mindat.org)