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The Collector's Edge Minerals as aquired a fine new discovery of topaz crystals from near El Chaltén, Santa Cruz Province, Argentina. The landscape there is breathtaking and very remote.



On Christmas Eve 2007 Robert Brandstetter and his group set off for Argentina. Once the group reached the small community of El Chaltén at the base of Mount Fitzroy they were forced to wait a few days for their equipment to catch up with them.

After having to abandon their first camp due to hurricane strength winds damaging and blowing away their equipment they changed plans. They headed northeast looking for calmer conditions. At the foot of an unnamed peak they spotted a pegmatite with several open pockets.



Though they were there with the intent to only climb the granite walls of the region they could not resist the temptation to see if there was anything to collect in the pockets.

Glaciation during the last ice age had destroyed the contents of all but two pockets.  After removing the loose rubble at the opening of the pockets they began to collect beautiful groups of milky quartz to 15cm. Muscovite and tourmaline groups disintegrated when touch by the team. One 10cm sheaf of dark green tourmaline was collected intact. Though not recognized as topaz at first, transparent crystals began to be collected from the pocket clay. The team knew immediately that they had found something special. 





There is an article in the Jan-Feb 2009 issue of the mineralogical record written by Robert Brandstetter detailing the entire "vacation". It is excellent reading.

Several specimens from this find have been posted for sale on our website. I encourage you to take this opportunity to add one of these unique and beautiful gem crystals to your collection!

Thanks for looking at our website!

Richard
1/19/2009