By editor
Boulder Batholith, Jefferson County
The Boulder Batholith is famous for the copper of Butte, but its cooling magmas also produced pockets of exquisite crystallization. At the Little Gem Mine, the hydrothermal fluids created scepter quartz—a crystal of dark, smoky quartz capped by a bulbous, purple head of amethyst.
Visitor Access
The mine is entirely private and closed to the public. It is a hidden pocket of complex crystallization locked away in the vast granitic intrusion, accessible only through the owners' online galleries and commercial sales.