Topaz Mountain

Topaz Mountain

Topaz Mountain from the East
Highest point
Elevation 7,052 ft (2,149 m)  NAVD 88[1]
Prominence 706 ft (215 m) [2]
Coordinates 39°42′34″N 113°06′21″W / 39.709428906°N 113.105957406°W / 39.709428906; -113.105957406Coordinates: 39°42′34″N 113°06′21″W / 39.709428906°N 113.105957406°W / 39.709428906; -113.105957406 [1]
Geography
Topaz Mountain

Location in Utah

Location Juab County, Utah, U.S.
Parent range Thomas Range
Topo map USGS Topaz Mountain East

Topaz Mountain is a summit in the Thomas Range of Utah, east of the Thomas caldera. The summit and surrounding area is known for its relative abundance of semiprecious minerals including topaz, red beryl and opal.

Geology and geography

Topaz Mountain is part of the Thomas Range, located in Juab County, Utah, approximately 36 miles Northwest of Delta, Utah. The mountain lies on publicly owned land managed by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM). Collection of rocks and mineral is permitted at Topaz Mountain and, as a result, the area is frequented by amateur as well as professional rock hounds.[3]

Minerals

Topaz

Topaz is a semiprecious gemstone that occurs as very hard, transparent crystals in a variety of colors. Topaz crystals, such as those found at Topaz Mountain, are naturally amber colored, but become colorless after exposure to sunlight. Topaz forms within cavities of the volcanic rock, rhyolite, from eruptions that occurred six to seven million years ago during the Tertiary Period. Topaz is embedded in the rhyolite rock, and also found loose on the slopes and arroyos.

Red beryl

Red beryl, a rare mineral found at Topaz Mountain, occurs as small crystals, often attached to other mineral crystals. It is estimated that one red beryl crystal is found for every 150,000 diamonds.[4] Prices for top quality natural red beryl can be as high as $10,000 per carat for faceted stones.[5]

Other minerals

A variety of other minerals are found at Topaz Mountain including garnet, amethyst, opal, pseudobrookite, and hematite.[6]

The ground around Topaz Mountain

References

  1. 1 2 "Topaz". NGS data sheet. U.S. National Geodetic Survey. Retrieved 23 April 2016.
  2. ↑ "Topaz Mountain UT". ListsOfJohn.com. Retrieved 23 April 2016.
  3. ↑ Grass, Ray (23 February 2006). "Juab has a lot of land to explore". Deseret Morning News. Retrieved 1 August 2012.
  4. ↑ Ege, Carl. "What gemstone is found in Utah that is rarer than diamond and more valuable than gold?". Utah Geological Survey. Utah Geological Survey. Retrieved 1 August 2012.
  5. ↑ "Bixbite". The Gemstone List. Retrieved 22 April 2016.
  6. ↑ "Topaz and other minerals found at Topaz Mountain, Juab County". Utah Geological Survey. Utah Geological Survey. Retrieved 1 August 2012.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Topaz Mountain.


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