Auction Win: Quartz var. Faden (doubly-terminated)

Locality: Tole, Wanna, Lower South Waziristan District, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province, Pakistan

Size: Miniature - 4.5 × 4.5 × 1.8 cm

Faden Quartz is a thread-like variety of Quartz (SiO2) named from the German word "Faden," meaning thread, which describes the white line running through the crystal. This distinctive feature forms when quartz crystals rupture and heal repeatedly in widening fissures, leaving a scar of inclusions that creates the visible thread. Quartz is commonly used in electronics and as a gemstone.

Located in the Tole area near Wanna, approximately 20 km north of Wana city in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province of Pakistan, this locality is a well-known source for rare "faden"-type quartz crystals. Geologically notable for producing these distinctive thread-like quartz formations, the site has yielded three valid mineral species and is recognized among collectors for its exceptional faden quartz specimens. Today, it remains a significant and sought-after locality for quartz collectors worldwide due to the unique quality and rarity of its faden quartz. The area, also historically referred to as Tui, Toyee, or Toj Shingi, continues to be a key reference point for faden quartz in mineral collections.