Crystal Frost Inclusions
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At the gem festival in Herkimer NY, July, 2016, the discovery of crystal frost in the
Herkimer Mining District, was announced. Here we will describe its major forms.
The crystal frost occurs in a
range of forms with the arched
form being most common. The
arches can stack in rows, in
different directions and of varying
height, forming a hopper weave
pattern. These have been found
most often as inclusions inside
quartz that was contacting
hydrocarbon. But they also occur
FREE STANDING on a matrix of
hydrocarbon and silica. The slide
show provides examples of the
different forms of crystal frost.
Updated - 03/09/2019
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The importance of the crystal frost
event is that it formed a base (seed
crystals), over dolomite/oil filled
rock, upon which some (not all)
Herkimer diamonds then grew. The
crystal frost helps to explain how it
is possible to grow quartz in an oil
filled dolomite rock. The crystal frost
is especially important in the
formation of small “flower” groups,
small “wings” groups (TCR) and
hopper Herkimer diamonds
Donations from collectors made
the 25 slides in the show on
crystal frost possible. These slides
are the result of many years of
sample analysis. Thanks to
Stephen Sheets for his Alaskan
crystal frost.
See also the following pages on this website:
Thank you Shannon Haley
Wilbur for the donation of 30
samples from the Fonda
region.1/05/2019 and 3/2/2019
Check out her Facebook.
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