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Controversial New Find
A controversial new fluorite on quartz find from Inner Mongolia raised questions about its authenticity. We share the lab results.
Fluorite on Quartz from Inner Mongolia, China
Throughout 2025 we saw a series of remarkable mixed mineral quartz combinations emerge from the Huanggang district of Inner Mongolia, China, many of them complex, architectural and highly aesthetic. The first time one of my mineral contacts offered me pieces from a new purple fluorite on quartz discovery, I felt the same immediate pull I often do when something unique and unfamiliar appears. The colour was vibrant, the coverage extensive and the overall presentation rather intriguing.
However, as I began to digest the images and look more closely an intuitive sense of hesitation kicked in. The colour was remarkably consistent across multiple specimens, the coating was unusually prolific and the surfaces lacked the textural variation you’d expect from natural fluorite growth.
When I asked the seller for a close up video to better understand the texture and structure, the response came as a sweeping assurance that if the material were fake they would pay me back ten times the price. No video. As their answer didn’t offer the transparency I needed to proceed, it was enough to make me change my mind and I so passed on the material.
A few days later @virgogemco released a reel showcasing the purple fluorite on quartz and speaking confidently to its authenticity, even mentioning a mining video that would be shared later in the week. Georgia spoke about her own initial skepticism in the comments but assured the public that material was authentic, taking the time to answer everyone in the comments individually. By that point I’d already moved on, but seeing someone I respect put their name behind the material was enough to get me looking again. Georgia has a sharp eye and a depth of experience that I value and learn from, so I pay attention when she feels certain about a new find. Her confidence in the material carried enough weight for me, so after some consideration I decided to take a chance and explore these fascinating specimens further.
Video Caption: Video from my Supplier
My original contact had already sold through their first release by the time I reached out, but soon we were in discussion over a newly arrived parcel. Around the same time the material began appearing everywhere, moving like wildfire across social media. I began to receive unsolicited messages from unknown sellers offering pieces of varying quality, and the range was immediately obvious. Some specimens were more pale, broken or awkwardly proportioned, while others showed stronger colour, cleaner surfaces and more balanced forms. The better examples appeared both as well formed single crystals and as larger, more coherent clusters, and occasionally there also appeared to be calcite associations. Within a very short window I began to see the same material filtering through established retailers and offered for sale across multiple countries, which only added to the sense of how rapidly this find had entered the market.
This is also when the controversy really heated up.
From January 3 public warnings began circulating, starting with a post in the Facebook group Scamologist (mineral specimen scams), flagging the purple Fluorite on Quartz material and questioning its authenticity. That same day Ricky Fentiman from @carpecrystals shared a reel performing simple home tests on the material. Ultimately he made no definitive claim, but the implication was that the texture and behaviour did not align with what he expected from fluorite growth. His reel travelled quickly and was reposted across multiple platforms, which sparked concerns in the wider community. He has since clarified that while he believes his own tested specimen was enhanced or altered, this doesn’t necessarily mean that all material from the find is – a sage reminder that where there is popular material, there are often counterfeit specimens that follow them.
On January 6, Chad from @mineraholics_anonymous posted a video showing Raman spectroscopy being performed on samples of the material by the China University of Geosciences in Wuhan. The results indicated fluorite, with no traces of glue, paint or resin detected.
If you’d like to deep dive a little further into the full nuances of the public debate, Rolf Stapel Van Stenen has a sensational blog article detailing everything here.
Video Caption: The specimen that’s been sent off for mineral testing & the newly arrived parcel
In the meantime, my own specimens arrived. The first thing I noticed was that the videos I had been sent clearly had the saturation dialled up (not unusual for this seller), and the pieces in hand were far more mellow than I’d been led to expect. The purple is definitely softer and more natural in person, without the intensity that the footage suggested, and the surfaces show variation in colour and texture that isn’t readily visible on a screen. Coverage is subtly uneven, with areas of thinning and subtle changes in tone that only become apparent when you study the piece in hand.
I still don’t with certainty whether this material is entirely natural, lab grown, altered or enhanced.
That uncertainty is the reason I’ve specimens to an independent laboratory in the United States, with the aim of verifying the Raman results that Chad shared and adding something concrete to what has so far been a largely speculative conversation. I’m comfortable offering the material now with full disclosure. This new discovery remains controversial, and I can’t offer guarantees about how the narrative might evolve once formal testing has been completed. What I can offer is transparency. When the lab results come back I’ll share them, regardless of outcome, and if you’d prefer to wait, I’ll be holding material aside for those who would rather make a decision when more information comes to light. In the meantime, if you feel comfortable proceeding before the testing is complete you’re very welcome to do so, with the understanding that I’m not able to offer refunds on specimens purchased prior to the release of laboratory findings.
More to come.
Independent Lab Results
11th February 2026
To move the discussion beyond speculation, we submitted a fluorite coated quartz specimen to the Maine Mineral & Gem Museum for independent analysis. We wanted to add to the existing Raman data provided by Chad, to see if we could independently confirm the mineral identity and better understand how the coating relates to the host crystal.
Instrumental testing was carried out using X-ray fluorescence (XRF) to determine chemical composition and X-ray diffraction (XRD) to identify the mineral phases present. Together, these methods allow the lab to identify both what elements are present and how those atoms are arranged inside the crystal.
What is X-ray diffraction (XRD)?
X-ray diffraction (XRD) is a laboratory technique used to identify the crystal structure of a material. While some tests focus on chemical elements, XRD looks at how atoms are arranged inside a mineral. That atomic arrangement is what defines one mineral species from another.
During XRD analysis, a small portion of the specimen is exposed to X-rays. As those X-rays interact with the crystal lattice, they scatter in a predictable pattern. Each mineral produces a unique diffraction pattern based on its internal structure. By comparing that pattern to known reference data, the laboratory can determine exactly which mineral is present.
In mineral identification, XRD is considered one of the most reliable ways to confirm species. Minerals that may appear similar in colour or chemistry can still be distinguished because their atomic structures differ.
What is X-ray fluorescence (XRF)?
X-ray fluorescence (XRF), is a laboratory method used to measure the chemical elements present in a material. During testing, the specimen is exposed to a controlled beam of X-rays. This energy causes atoms inside the sample to emit their own characteristic signals. By measuring those signals, the instrument can determine which elements are present and in what approximate proportions.
In mineral analysis, XRF is useful for confirming the chemical makeup of a specimen. For example, fluorite has a chemistry dominated by calcium and fluorine, along with small trace elements that can reflect its natural growth environment. Detecting these elements helps verify that a surface coating is a real mineral phase rather than paint, resin, or other artificial material.
Results
The results were clear. The purple coating was confirmed as fluorite, and the interior crystal is, of course, quartz. Small white crystals on the surface were identified as calcite and zeolite – a new mineral previously unseen in this material. The fluorite chemistry includes trace elements commonly seen in naturally formed material, including minor rare earth components such as Yttrium, which may help to explain the colour of the fluorite.
Just as important as what the specimen is, is how it formed. The analyst observed that the fluorite coats only the outer surfaces of the quartz, including broken areas. This pattern suggests the quartz crystal formed first inside a cavity, later fractured, and was then exposed to fluorite bearing fluids that deposited a secondary layer. In practical terms, the fluorite represents a later stage of mineral growth on an existing quartz crystal.
The lab notes that the mineral combination, chemistry and growth textures are all compatible with natural hydrothermal formation. While it is technically possible to grow similar coatings under controlled conditions, doing so would require specialised equipment and is considered unlikely from a practical and financial standpoint. Based on the available evidence, the analyst considers a natural origin more likely, while acknowledging that laboratory testing cannot provide absolute certainty about formation history.
Taken together, the analysis confirms that the coating is genuine fluorite grown on quartz, and that the growth relationships seen on the specimen are real mineral features. These findings add instrument based evidence to the broader conversation around this material, while leaving room for continued discussion as more examples are studied.
You can read the full report here
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