Herkimer diamond
Herkimer diamonds are
Little Falls, respectively, the crystal is also known as a Middleville diamond or a Little Falls diamond.[3]
Herkimer diamonds became widely recognized after workmen discovered them in large quantities while cutting into the Mohawk River Valley dolomite in the late 18th century. Geologists discovered exposed dolomite in Herkimer County outcroppings and began mining there, leading to the "Herkimer diamond" moniker. Double-terminated quartz crystals may be found in sites around the world, but only those mined in Herkimer County can be given this name.
Process of formation
The geologic history of these crystals began about 500 million years ago in a shallow sea which was receiving
Inclusions can be found in these crystals that provide clues to the origins of the Herkimer diamonds. Found within the inclusions are solids, liquids (salt water or petroleum), gases (most often carbon dioxide), two- and three-phase inclusions, and negative (uniaxial) crystals. A black hydrocarbon is the most common solid inclusion.[6]
See also
- Cape May diamonds, another form of quartz referred to as "diamonds"
References
- ^ King, Hobart M. "Herkimer Diamonds". Geology.com. Archived from the original on 2008-09-14. Retrieved 2008-09-10.
- ^ Pough, Frederick (1960). A Field Guide to Rocks and Minerals. p. 232.
- ^ ""Herkimer-style" Quartz". Mindat. Archived from the original on 2009-11-23. Retrieved 2024-01-20.
- ^ Baldwin, Mike (2003-07-11). "Herkimer Diamonds" (PDF). MAGS Explorer. 2 (7): 1–3. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2021-02-27. Retrieved 2017-02-01.
- ^ Muskatt, H.S.; Tollerton, V.P. Jr. (September 18–20, 1992). "The Little Falls Dolostone (Late Cambrian); stratigraphy and mineralogy". In April, R.H. (ed.). Field trip guidebook. New York State Geological Association Guidebook, annual meeting. Hamilton, NY. pp. 200–215.
{{cite conference}}: CS1 maint: date and year (link), as quoted in GEOLEX, USGS Archived 2017-08-23 at the Wayback Machine - ^ "Hydrocarbon". Herkimer History. Archived from the original on 2020-05-26. Retrieved 2019-11-26.
External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Herkimer diamond.
- Website for the New York State Academy of Mineralogy
- Prospecting for Herkimer Diamonds
- HerkimerHistory.com
- Video of mining for Herkimer Diamonds with a jackhammer
- Book Review: Collector’s Guide to Herkimer Diamonds
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