When I was young, there was a place where every time I go there, I found some small quartz crystals and druses. Years later, I remembered about it and decided to have a closer look in the surroundings of that place. In a pine forest, I've found large cracked quartz blocks that are part of a quartz vein. Look below: Can you see the cracks in the rock and imagine what is inside them? Yes, druses and double-terminated quartz crystals! That was for sure one of the happiest days in my life. For me, it was like finding a treasure. I have returned to the place some days later with my best friend and better prepared with tools to collect some of the best I can. Below you can see some specimens: That was the first time in earth history that those crystals seen the day light! Now, some more years later, looking at a geological map (in the times I have found the vein I didn't have knowledge about geological maps), I can find that there is registered a quartz vein exactly in that place, s...
My story with minerals began when I was probably around 5 years old, when I've found the first Quartz crystals that amazed me. I was always so much connected with the earth and nature in general but what I most like is the geology. I have also some ancestors in my family that have worked in mines of Tungsten (Scheelite) and Gold in the north of Portugal - this was also a very important factor in my relationship with minerals. During my whole life (now at 34), I always collected many mineral specimens but I also bought some. During this blog timeline, I hope to bring you up with some stories I've experienced.