Top Quality Quartz with Limonite Pseudomorph after Pyrite- Vietnam | River Walkers Minerals

Locale: Yên Bái Province, Vietnam 🇻🇳 

Old Find – 2018

Dimensions: 446 grams | 3.5 x 4.2 x 2.9 inches

Ex. Ðoàn Kim Hoa Collection

An exceptionally high-quality clear quartz cluster from Yên Bái, northern Vietnam. It is accompanied by a limonite after pyrite crystal, with shimmery flecks of magnetite/hematite. This material originates from a 2018 pocket discovery and represents the cleaner, more refined quartz habit for which this locality is respected.

The quartz crystals exhibit high internal clarity, allowing light to pass cleanly through all the points. Surface quality is extremely strong, with crisp edges and well-preserved termination faces.

This piece features a striking limonite pseudomorph after pyrite, where the original cubic pyrite crystal has morphed into golden iron oxides while preserving its shape. The rich ochre color contrasts beautifully against the clear quartz points that grew around it, with small metallic iron oxide flecks adding extra character. A great example of natural mineral replacement preserved in a classic Vietnamese quartz cluster.

Yên Bái Province is known for producing well-formed quartz with strong luster and clean growth, often occurring in structurally open pocket systems that allow for defined crystal development. This piece is a top example of this material and it is self-standing.