Tabular Quartz w/ Tourmaline inclusions - Diamantina, Minas Gerais, Brazil

This specimen shows the classic tabular quartz habit from Diamantina, Minas Gerais. The crystals are unusually flat and plate-like, with broad faces and sharp terminations that make them appear almost like “sheets” of quartz stacked together. The edges are crisp and well-defined, and faint horizontal striations can be seen across the prism faces, recording the natural rhythm of crystal growth. The overall luster is bright and glassy, with high transparency that allows a clear view into the internal structure.

In this piece, several intergrown crystals intersect at different angles, creating an elegant cluster with excellent balance and aesthetics. The clarity is high, though subtle internal features such as veils, growth zoning, or fine inclusions may be observed under magnification, offering a glimpse into its geologic history. The combination of sharp form, transparency, and delicate geometry makes it a representative example of Diamantina’s renowned tabular quartz, highly prized by collectors for both its rarity and striking visual appeal.

Tabular quartz from Diamantina, Minas Gerais, is a distinctive variety that crystallized in the open cavities of the Espinhaço Range’s quartzite and schist formations. Unlike the more common prismatic quartz, these crystals develop broad, flattened faces due to growth restrictions along certain prism directions. Their surfaces often display sharp edges and fine horizontal striations, evidence of rapid crystallization from silica-rich hydrothermal fluids that circulated during the Neoproterozoic Araçuaí Orogeny, roughly 650–500 million years ago. This unique crystal habit makes them both geologically significant and aesthetically striking.

~ From the old collection of Luiz Menezes, one of Brazil’s most respected mineral collectors ~

For the believers: 

Tabular quartz from Diamantina carries an unusually refined energy, enhanced by the fine black tourmaline inclusions suspended within its clear crystalline body. Quartz is long regarded as the master healer and amplifier, and in this rare tabular form it radiates clarity and alignment, like a “window” into higher states of consciousness. The presence of tourmaline adds a strong protective vibration, grounding scattered energies and creating a shield against negativity while still allowing light and insight to flow through.

Collectors value these crystals for the remarkable contrast between the flat, shimmering quartz faces and the dark tourmaline threads inside. Metaphysically, that same interplay symbolizes balance — light and shadow, clarity and protection, openness and boundaries. Holding or meditating with one of these pieces encourages inner stability, clear vision, and the courage to grow while staying rooted. As a specimen, it is both visually striking and spiritually harmonizing, making it a powerful addition to any collection of high-vibration minerals.