This site was last updated on August 19, 2009
Quartz Crystal Habits within Herkimer Diamond Deposits
The best website on "Herkimer Diamonds"
Larger photos of the thumbnails presented on the main "Crystal Form" page. Included is identification information and the source link is embedded there (just click). In some cases additional information and comments are provided for each photo.
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The "baby floater" stage of mineralization maybe one of the most unique and interesting phenomena that occurs within the Herkimer district. This is why it has been separated from the normal druze and given its own web page. There are many features associated with it that need to be illustrated. See also the inclusion page, link below.
This specimen ( 9 cm across) from Fonda, NY (DA) that shows a different type of druze. it is here named "baby floater druze" because it appears to be a coating of microsopic Herkimer diamonds. The specimen is described more on the matrix (host rock) page (click on link below).
A close up on this specimen (below) is from where the black arrow is pointing and shows an interesting feature. The druze used to be covering more rock but is now gone and the exposed rock is very eroded. An important point to consider - if this was the wall rock of larger pockets it would be quite unstable.
<--- "Baby floater druze"
Please visit the inclusions page to see more "baby floater" pictures as inclusions inside Herkimer diamonds. This particular druze may hold a key piece of the Herkimer diamond story.
On the left is a microscope close up of the above, on the edges of the "cavities". The druze does not look like any other druze. There is not a thick layer (or rind) between the quartz and the host rock, just a microscopic rind. The druze doesn't form the same crystal pattern of "mountain peaks" but instead is a coating of microsopic Herkimer Diamond like crystals randomly scattered. Photos, Dr.D
The microscope photo below shows a light coating of microscopic Herkimer Diamond like crystals on fresh matrix of very tiny, nearly clear, rhombs of dolomite. The blocky crystal in the middle right is dolomite just 1 mm across. From the Hanson/Benchmark Quarry , St. Johnsville, NY. Photo, Dr. D. (Specimen donated by Mike Eggleston).
The microscope photo below shows a light coating of microscopic Herkimer Diamond like crystals on an "eroded" matrix. The blocky crystals are dolomite. From Herkimer Diamond Mine, Middleville, NY. Photo, Dr. D. The largest dolomite is only 2 mm across.
The microscope photo below shows a light coating of microscopic Herkimer Diamond like crystals on an "eroded" matrix. The blocky crystal in the lower left is dolomite just 2 mm across. From the top of a Herkimer pocket at the Ace of Diamond Mine, Middleville, NY. Photo, Dr. D. (Donated by Bill and Anne).
Web page author - W. David Hoisington, Ph.D.
Another specimen showing this unique druze of microscopic Herkimer Diamond like crystals is shown below. It is also from Fonda. NY (DA). In this specimen the baby floater druze in coating the pyramidal druze (labeld with an arrow and a P).
The mountain peaks of the druze can be seen poking out above the baby floater druze layer. Herkimer diamonds are on top of the baby floater druze. (photo DrD, 2009)
Below is a close-up of the pyramidal druze point located at the arrow labeled P. This point is only one mm wide at its base. The white sparkling speckles coating the point and all along its base are the baby floater druze made of hundreds of crystals. (photo DrD, 2009)
The arrow (without the P) on the right photo shows where this close-up is taken. The entire photo here is only one mm across. You can see some of the flat faces of the tiny Hermimer diamonds and you can see how they are piled on top of each other in a random pattern. These crystals are very tiny, but it is interesting to note that in this one specimen (see above) the coating hade literally thousands of crystals.
