"Smaller crystals formed when it cooled off quickly and large crystals when it cooled off slowly. "Inside these cavities molecules and atoms, developed by tremendous heat combined with the available minerals formed crystals. "Millions of years ago as the molten rock that gurgled out of active volcanoes cooled gas bubbles, cavities, vughs and other large open spaces were trapped beneath the crust which forms on the surface. "The crystallisation of minerals is one of Mother Nature's incredible creations,'' he said. Mr Boissevain said he first acquired geodes in 1992, including three of the largest ever removed from one of those mines. The miners tunnel their way into the hard basalt using explosives, hammer and chisel and the occasional jackhammer to extract the geodes. The Brazilians mine for amethyst in the Agoenormous basalt fields and surrounding mountains created by volcanic activity in southern Brazil, close to the Uruguay border 80 million years ago. He said the big geodes dont survive the process. Mr Boissevain said large mining operations posed a big hurdle for mineral collectors because they crush the rock up into such small pieces. Rene and Nelleke Boissevain have been collecting geodes since 1963. ![]() "We're building a special room you know, because the room needs to be four metres or so." And it will give the Crystal Caves a boost. Mr Boissevain said $70 000US rock was expected to arrive in far north Queensland next month, Mr Boissevain said. "It means that every single crystal that's in there is a faceted stone." "Which means you can't get better amethyst quality than that. "The quality of the crystals inside is a triple A,'' Mr Boissevain said. Renee Boissevain, of the Crystal Caves Museum in Atherton, is the proud new owner. ![]() The three metre, 130-million-year-old crystal was uncovered in South America and weighs three-and-a-half-tonnes. Owners of a far north Queensland gem museum will have to build a special room to house what is believed to be the world's biggest amethyst.
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