The Dynamic Interaction of Quartz Bearing Solutions
with Hydrocarbon Bearing Solutions-
Large form Changes
There is considerable evidence that hydrocarbons were present when the various types of quartz
crystals were growing in the Herkimer Mining District. This evidence will be presented here, and
since this is the focus of current research, more information will be added over the coming year -
2016.
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by W. David Hoisington, Ph. D. unless another author/photographer is cited.
The Quartz Spheres
In 2009 this author was granted the honor
of doing 2 years of research at the TCR
Herkimer diamond location - a private
mine. It was here that the partner of the
owner discovered very small spheres of
quartz within hydrocarbon cavities. After a
little study, I posted the origin of these
spheres and their connection to oil.
It is hard to match these special creations
of nature to any other process other than
quartz bearing solutions interacting with
hydrocarbons. They certainly can not be
formed using the geologic processes
ascribed to in the old theories that tried to
explain how Herkimer diamonds were
made.
The spheres are quite small, and it was a small miracle they were
ever discovered. But after their discovery miners began to
examine the black hydrocarbon pockets with more scrutiny - and
detailed microscope work has been the focus of this author. This
careful scrutiny has lead to several discoveries. One such
discovery is “ring with edges”. We think this is due to a bubble
hitting the flat surfaces of a growing quartz crystal. You can see
this bubble flat edge in slide 7 in the above slide show - a nice
photo by Jane Minter of a soap bubble on a flat surface.
Evidence of More than Just the Quartz Spheres
The slide show contains several photos of
the spheres and most have these most
interesting glassy circular features (as
seen on the top of the sphere on the first
slide). These represent the beginnings of
crystal face development, which is shown
more clearly in the second slide.
Welcome to the New Herkimer Diamond Story!
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Slide show contributors:Example Name……
The Quartz Rings
The slide show contains photos of contact between hydrocarbon and quartz where it is
apparent that the hydrocarbon influenced the shape of the growing quartz. These contact
changes in the quartz form include the following: dimples, dimple carpet. domes, and curved
crystal face development. Soon to be added - structural changes seen through the
microscope and the quartz- hydrocarbon contact.
Next: Changes at the Boundary
Updated - 03/09/2019
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Thank you Shannon Haley
Wilbur for the donation of 30
samples from the Fonda
region.1/05/2019 and 3/2/2019
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