Amethyst with Goethite / Hematite

Description: I’ve seen a good number of Amethyst specimens from the Rubeho Mountains, but this one is incredibly special for the simple fact that it has a notably elongated crystal aesthetically flaring off the smaller Amethyst crystals. Nearly all of the specimens I’ve seen from this area feature small “stubby” Amethyst crystals, so a predominant crystal of notable length like this is almost never seen. Then you add in associated iron oxide in the form of Goethite / Hematite and you get an added layer of intrigue. On the surface of the big Amethyst crystal, you can see some small metallic, silvery-grey colored crystals of what I believe to be trigonal Hematite, but if you look inside the Amethyst crystals, you can see thin acicular / “needle”-like crystals of what is most likely Goethite but could possibly be Lepidocrocite. When you flip the piece over, you can see there are interesting “casts” of white Quartz replacing what was presumably Anhydrite, which dissolved away, leaving some blocky hollow forms behind. I’ve never seen a specimen quite like this from this locality, and if you’re a fan of Quartz / Amethyst of minerals of Tanzania, this is an important and unusual piece that would make a great addition to any collection. Specimen # WWMIX82108