Victorian Goldfields Quartz Vein Specimen – Large White, Orange, Purple & Black Crystals with High Sulfidation: Specimen 6

Notable Features

This 3.456 kg quartz specimen measures 8.5 × 6 × 6 in (Width × Length × Height). It showcases a massive quartz vein cutting through bedrock, with excellent crystal growth across the exposed vein surfaces. The quartz crystals display a range of colors — white, orange, purple, and black — giving the specimen striking contrast. With high sulfidation, this rock also features major oxidized sulfide patches scattered through the quartz and host rock, highlighting its mineral richness.

Sulfidation Level

High Sulfidation – Abundant sulfides, including pyrite and chalcopyrite, are concentrated within the quartz and along fracture zones. Oxidized patches on the rock surface provide vivid staining and further emphasize the specimen’s mineralized history.

See how we rate sulfidation levels by visiting our FAQ section.

Mineral Assemblage

• Quartz – large crystals in white, orange, purple, and black

• Pyrite – abundant clusters and metallic specks

• Chalcopyrite – golden-brassy inclusions

• Tetrahedrite – dark inclusions contributing to black quartz coloration

• Iron oxides – widespread oxidation, creating red/orange/purple hues

• Trace potential: arsenopyrite, stibnite, gold, silver, antimony

Note: Not every specimen contains the full mineral assemblage above. Minerals may appear in varying amounts, and each specimen may only feature a subset. Each piece is unique and chosen for its visual appeal and geological character.

Geological Story

This specimen formed during the Silurian Period (~440–420 million years ago), when tectonic forces fractured submarine fan sediments in the Victorian Goldfields. Into these fractures surged silica-rich hydrothermal fluids, cooling slowly enough to produce well-formed quartz crystals instead of the typical massive milky quartz.

Here, a major quartz vein intruded the host rock, carrying with it metallic sulfides that later oxidized, leaving behind brassy inclusions and large oxidized sulfide patches. The quartz crystallized in a spectrum of colors — from white and orange to purple and black — depending on the impurities and inclusions present during formation.

The area was historically mined for gold, silver, and antimony, though most of the precious metals are refractory, bound within sulfides, with rare occurrences of free gold.

This specimen is not sold as “gold ore.” It is a collector’s showpiece, valued for its size, colorful quartz crystal growth, high sulfide content, and dramatic quartz veining through bedrock — a bold geological display piece from the Victorian Goldfields.