Prismatic Quartz and Scepters from Mines and Deposits in the Herkimer Mining District

There are some larger quartz crystals which are not double terminated, but instead grow as prismatic crystals. These prismatic quartz crystals serve as the “rods” for the scepters - Herkimer diamonds on top of rods.

Click on the button next - to see the hydrocarbon page

The occurrence of these elongated single terminated quartz crystals appears to be quite varied across the district.  In some mines it is hard to find even tiny ones just a little bigger than the prismatic druze. In other mines there are clearly developed, well formed, prismatic quartz crystals.  The photos here are of the well developed crystals. The photos will begin with crystals that are not scepters, followed by a series of scepter photos.

Prismatic Quartz Varies Alot Across the District

It may be that this prismatic quartz event is an extension of the prismatic druze (see the druze page - button below), or a replacement of it. Finding specimens that contain both might help answer this, but thus far such a specimen has been elusive.

More Research -  We think the prismatic event may have played an important role of how some Herkimer diamonds were made by acting as “seed” crystalization points.  Changes to our understanding of this event will happen in light of the new discovery to be announced July 16 and 17..