Quartz var. Amethyst

This beautiful small cabinet specimen of Hematite-included Amethyst Quartz is recorded as from Thunder Bay in Ontario, Canada, but it is safe to speculate it is specifically from the Thunder Bay Amethyst Mine.  The specimen forms a low domed, hedgehog-like mound of glassy, highly lustrous Quartz crystals of a good deep amethyst purple.  The chocolate brown Hematite inclusions have a preferential orientation, mainly individual spots from one direction and as a continuous film on the opposite side of the Quartz crystals.  Hence, from one side the specimen is principally purple and from the opposite side, purple tinged milk chocolate – what a combination!  Turn the specimen over and the flat cleaved base is a purer Amethyst purple, unimpaired by Hematite.  A superb Amethyst Quartz from Thunder Bay.