Johannsenite, Quartz

This specimen features a vug lined with fine, needle-like crystals of johannsenite, accompanied by a singular, well-formed quartz prism. Johannsenite is a relatively rare, manganese-rich member of the pyroxene group. The tiny, bronze to greenish-brown johannsenite needles, measuring approximately 1 mm, they densely coat the interior of the vug, giving it a fibrous, shimmering appearance.

This specimen originates from the Iron Cap Mine, a former surface and underground Pb-Zn-Ag-Cu-Au-fluorspar operation located near the head of Arizona Gulch in the foothills of the Santa Teresa Mountains, Arizona. Situated on private land, the mine is known among collectors for producing a variety of uncommon manganese-bearing mineral species, including fine examples of johannsenite.