Himalayan Quartz with Chlorite
Clear quartz points that have formed all around a flat "core" with light green chlorite. Several of the quartz points have green chlorite phantoms. Phantoms are created when minerals (in this case, Chlorite) have been washed over and captured within a crystal during its growing process. The mineral deposit acts as a record of the crystal's lifetime. Phantoms appear as ghost crystals, or faint lines that mimic the shape of the main termination of the crystal.
Location: Mount Meru, Kullu Valley, Manikaram Mines
Measurement: ~5-1/2" long x 4" wide x 3" deep
Himalayan quartz is mined by hand in the Himalayan mountain region in the sacred Kullu Valley of Himachal Pradesh, India, an area referred to as the Valley of the Gods. Pink Himalayan quartz emits a soft pinkish glow, derived from trace amounts of Iron. Green Himalayan Quartz contains Chlorite, which gives it the green hue. These crystals are among some of the rarest and most difficult to obtain, due to their location and the fact that it is carried off the mountain in backpacks, before being cleaned by hand.