We just got this rare Brandberg Crystal with an enhydro bubble trapped inside! Just over 4 inches long, it is double terminated and includes amethyst, smoky quartz and clear quartz. As of 11.11.17 it is still available in our store. Watch the video below!
One of the coolest phenomena in the rock world is finding water trapped inside a translucent stone. “Enhydros” are crystals or stones with a natural chamber inside containing a small amount of liquid, and usually an air bubble which makes it much easier to see the fluid inclusion. They usually occur in quartz crystals and agates and are extremely rare. You need to move the stone around to see they enhydro chamber, and they can be very difficult to spot. Sometimes you can hear the water sloshing around in them.
The crystals or minerals grow around the liquid deposit and trap it inside forever, unless it is broken open by changes in position, pressure, or temperature — or busted open by miners. Scientists will at times break them open so that they can study the ancient water inside and discover things about the atmosphere at the time it was formed. I’ve heard of people breaking open an enhydro and then drinking the water! Don’t know if I’d be up for that! Some enhydros date back the Eocene Epoch (56-33.9 million years ago.) Other fluids found included in stones are oil and carbon. Enhydro crystals are also known as enhydrite crystals.
The largest recorded enhydro agate ever found was in Fuxin City, China, with a diameter of 63 cm and weighing 310 kg. The most famous and beautiful enhydrite crystals are found in the Brandberg Mountains of Namibia in southern Africa. The Brandberg enhydros can contain amethyst, quartz, smoky quartz and lepidocrosite. At the moment at The Fossil Cartel, we have a 4-inch double terminated enhydro Brandberg smoky amethyst crystal in stock, as well as a selection of enhydro agates from Brazil.
See this crystal in our Etsy shop!
We just got in this rare Brandberg Crystal with an enhydro bubble trapped inside! Measures more than 4 in across. As of 11.11.17 it is still available in our store!