A large Lake County “Diamond” has been discovered with a clear image of the Virgin Mary and Child; Lake County Diamonds are rare, non-crystalline quartz nuggets, found in only one place in the world, Clear Lake, California
SAN DIEGO, June 18, 2009 — A resident of Clear Lake, CA, the Rev. Dr. Douglas Van Dyke, D.D., has found a large, rare Lake County Diamond with the image of the Virgin Mary and Child clearly visible in the body of the gem.
The Rev. Van Dyke says, “We believe this to be a miracle from God. The gemstone has a very strong, positive energy which can be easily felt by holding or even touching the stone.”
The teardrop-shaped gem is about 1″ (2.54 cm) high and 5/8″ (1.7 cm) wide and will be put up for auction in the near future. Proceeds will go to Rev. Van Dyke’s caregiver organization, Lake County Care Group, a registered California not-for-profit corporation.
Lake County Diamonds
Lake County, in Northern California, is home to some rather unusual semi-precious stones found nowhere else in the world, known locally as “Lake County Diamonds.” They are not, of course, real diamonds, but rather an unusual clear volcanic glass made of almost pure silica.
The nuggets are quartz, but they have no crystalline structure whatsoever, making them very unusual. Lake County Diamonds were formed in large deposits of basalt which were ejected from Mount Konocti volcano during an ancient eruption. Over time the basalt, which is a soft mineral, weathers away, exposing the quartz nuggets on the surface.
Lake County Diamonds are usually 7.5-8 on the Mohs scale, (Diamonds are 10), and are capable of cutting glass. They are commonly used in jewelry, either as rough stones or faceted, which gives them a sparkle comparable to that of real diamonds.
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Photos of the gemstone can be downloaded at:
The gem is for sale. It will be auctioned on eBay in the near future.
Send inquiries to:
Wayne Gravelle
wayne@image2.com
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