Gem Silica (Quartz / Chalcedony with Chrysocolla inclusions)The Lily Mine has been a source of some beautiful rough Quartz Opal Chalcedony material that has been the focus of many faceters and lapidaries over the last 20+ years. A friend of ours brought this one back from Peru and we had to snag it as the patterning was too good to pass up. This material is often sold as Gem Silica which is essentially Quartz (or in this case Chalcedony) which has inclusions of the copper silicate Chrysocolla. What's most

The piece was difficult to photograph

One of the crystals features an excellent monoclinic "sword"-shaped termination

deep golden color Pyrite octahedral and micro Quartz crystals

if not thousands

Specimen # CUAUS72008

This specimen is over 30 years old and was part of the best find of the material

the material will dance with color under strong lighting

steel grey color

Specimen # HYALMEX41617

this particular Opal is incredibly durable and strong

with a gorgeous satiny interior

but the Sunnyside offered a lot more in the way of minerals