Provenite

Papachacra

AreaDraft data

27.0164° S, 66.8667° W · ± 10 km

Microcline and Smoky quartz from Catamarca, Argentina, with photos of specimens from this locality.

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Minerals found here

MicroclineSmoky quartz

On the same specimen

Same specimen Albite with Quartz

1 specimen photo(s) from this locality show quartz with albite together. The pairing comes from the photographer's file name and label, so the relationship between the two minerals is not specified.

Same specimen Albite with Microcline

2 specimen photo(s) from this locality show microcline with albite together. The pairing comes from the photographer's file name and label, so the relationship between the two minerals is not specified.

Same specimen Fluorite with Microcline

1 specimen photo(s) from this locality show microcline with fluorite together. The pairing comes from the photographer's file name and label, so the relationship between the two minerals is not specified.

Same specimen Quartz with Microcline

1 specimen photo(s) from this locality show microcline with quartz together. The pairing comes from the photographer's file name and label, so the relationship between the two minerals is not specified.

Microcline at Papachacra

Microcline specimen from Papachacra, Catamarca (photo by its collector).
Microcline specimen from Papachacra, Catamarca (photo by its collector).
Photo: Leon Hupperichs · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Source
Large twinned microcline crystal from Papachacra.
Large twinned microcline crystal from Papachacra.
Photo: Robert M. Lavinsky · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Source
Sharp pale salmon microcline crystals, Papachacra.
Sharp pale salmon microcline crystals, Papachacra.
Photo: Robert M. Lavinsky · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Source
Plate of pinkish microcline with grey-green albite and purple fluorite octahedra, Papachacra.
Plate of pinkish microcline with grey-green albite and purple fluorite octahedra, Papachacra.
Photo: Robert M. Lavinsky · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Source
Pale peach microcline crystals intergrown with smoky quartz and albite, Papachacra.
Pale peach microcline crystals intergrown with smoky quartz and albite, Papachacra.
Photo: Robert M. Lavinsky · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Source
Formula
KAlSi₃O₈
Morphology
Razor-sharp crystals, Carlsbad twins and plates of crystals
Typical size
Crystals to about 2 cm on plates; single twins to about 14 cm
Color / luster
Pale salmon, peach or creamy pink to off-white
Associated minerals
Smoky quartzalbitefluoritepyrochlore
Twins
Carlsbad twins
Availability
Unknown

Sources: SRC-580

About Microcline →

Smoky quartz at Papachacra

Lustrous, gemmy dark smoky quartz crystal with accenting matrix, labelled Papachacra.
Lustrous, gemmy dark smoky quartz crystal with accenting matrix, labelled Papachacra.
Photo: Robert M. Lavinsky · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Source
Sharp dark smoky quartz crystal accented by white microcline, labelled Papachacra.
Sharp dark smoky quartz crystal accented by white microcline, labelled Papachacra.
Photo: Robert M. Lavinsky · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Source
Striated smoky quartz crystal on parallel bands of cleavelandite albite, labelled Papachacra.
Striated smoky quartz crystal on parallel bands of cleavelandite albite, labelled Papachacra.
Photo: Robert M. Lavinsky · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Source
Formula
SiO₂
Morphology
Idiomorphic crystals and parallel-growth groups on feldspar matrix; some crystals with etched faces
Typical size
Crystals commonly 3 to 10 cm in the photographed specimens
Color / luster
Light brown to golden brown and near-black (morion) smoky quartz, glassy and gemmy in places
Associated minerals
Albite (cleavelandite)microclinemuscoviteschorl
Surface features
Preferential etching on some faces
Availability
Unknown
History
Recent finds from the Andes were offered by dealers

Sources: SRC-432 SRC-443

About Smoky quartz →

Geology of the locality

Setting
Granite stock on the western slope of Cerro Leon Muerto in the Sierras Pampeanas, about 3,100 m above sea level, with pegmatites and miarolitic cavities.
Host rock
Granodiorite / monzogranite (Papachacra granite)
Region
Catamarca
Country
Argentina

Coordinates converted from 27 deg 0 min 59 s S, 66 deg 52 min 0 s W on the Mindat locality page, so the position is district-level only.

Sources: SRC-432

Sources

  1. SRC-432 · Database
    Papachacra, Corral Quemado, Belén Department, Catamarca Province, ArgentinaMindat.org contributors · Mindat.org / Hudson Institute of Mineralogy
  2. SRC-580 · Website
    File:Microcline-199473.jpgRobert M. Lavinsky · Wikimedia Commons
  3. SRC-443 · Website
    File:Quartz-226193.jpg and related Papachacra files (Robert M. Lavinsky)Wikimedia Commons · Wikimedia Commons

Draft data from the Provenite workbook. Check entries against the cited sources before relying on them. Photos are open-licence images from Wikimedia Commons; the author and licence are given with each photo.