Quartz and Hematite Var. Specularite

Lustrous Cumberland habit quartz adorned with glistening silver specularite (hematite variety). The Chub Lake Prospect's first workings date back to the 1800s, when it was mined for iron ore. Nearly a century later, in the 1980s, collectors rediscovered the site and found its tailings remarkably undisturbed. Upon searching the mine remnants, they unearthed exceptional specimens pairing quartz with specularite. This piece was recovered alongside a handful of other outstanding examples from the workings and has remained in a private collection until now.

An interesting note on this locality: it sits just a 15-minute drive from the renowned Empire State Mines, best known for their Balmat calcite. Despite their proximity, these two notable locales yielded distinctively different fine specimens.