The crystallisation of minerals is one of Mother Nature’s
incredible creations. Millions of years ago, the earth was trembling,
volcanos erupting and hot glowing molten rock flowed over the
earths surface. As the lava started to cool, gas bubbles, cavities,
vughs and other large open spaces were trapped beneath the crust
which forms on the surface.
Inside these cavities molecules and atoms, developed by tremendous
heat combined with the available minerals formed crystals. Small
crystals formed when it cooled off quickly and large crystals
when it cooled off slowly.
Geodes
When lava cooled off thousands of gas bubbles were trapped on
their way to the surface and formed into geodes . A very complex
process took place inside the gas bubble when it hardened; molecules
and atoms created the glittering crystals inside and formed the
agate on the outside. Main ingredients of geodes are quartz varieties.
All over the world, there are mining operations, small and large.
In many third world countries, where the ore is not plentiful
enough to attract the larger mining corporations, the smaller
companies and families find it worthwhile to mine the crystallised
specimens as a ‘by product’ from the lead, zinc and
silver mines in particular. In some cases, entire families work
in small mines, only removing the crystals, because they don’t
have the money to purchase extractors and crushers to mine the
ore. It is hard work as finance, modern mining equipment and proper
mining facilities are far from reality.
Some larger mining companies with updated equipment can go deeper
into the earths’ crust to extract the ore. Sometimes they
break into cavities in the earth, these cavities are filled with
the most spectacular and colourful crystallised minerals the eye
has ever seen.
Salvaged from processing and carefully removed from the mine,
these are the specimens which René and Nelleke Boissevain
have been collecting since 1963. The biggest frustration to collectors
of mineral specimens all over the world is the awful thought that
the big mining multinationals (going as deep as 4km) throw everything
into the big crushers, including rare and valuable crystal formations.
In the Southern parts of Brazil, close to the Uruguay border
enormous basalt fields and mountains were formed by volcanic activity
approximately 80 million years ago. This is where the Brazilians
mine for Amethyst. Miners tunnel their way into the hard basalt
using explosives, hammer and chisel and the occasional jackhammer
to extract the spectacular Amethyst Geodes.
In 1992 The Crystal Caves were able to obtain 3 of the largest
geodes ever removed from one of those mines.
In January 2007 the worlds largest Amethyst Geode was removed
from the Galerias Santiños Mine in Uruguay and The Crystal
Caves was again able to secure this 130 million old priceless
geode.
The worlds largest Geode
is displayed in the Crystal Caves
for everyone to see & touch.
An amazing sight - brought to you from deep inside the earth -
feel the cool energy right at your fingertips!
