Introducing the Pumpkin Pie Pocket: A New Discovery at the Diana Maria Mine
INTRODUCING the Pumpkin Pie Pocket – the latest exciting discovery from the Diana Maria mine, operated by our sister company, UK Mining Ventures!
Discovered in April 2026, the Pumpkin Pie Pocket is the best example yet of epimorphic Quartz crystal overgrowth on large Fluorite cubes at the Diana Maria mine. Located near the Naughty Gnome Pocket on the River Catcher Vein, it is named after the orange and brown iron oxides seen within the Quartz, as well as its autumn launch, which coincides with the Halloween season.
The Fluorite consistently forms individual and intergrown cubes measuring 4 to 5 cm on edge and is almost totally covered by a 0.5 to 1 cm layer of exceptionally glassy, pyramidal Quartz crystals. These have a white base layer with colourless terminations. Yellow, orange, brown and even black inclusions of iron oxides are trapped within a layer inside the Quartz, but usually appear as patches, giving the layered appearance of pumpkin pie.
The underlying Fluorite is green with yellow centres, sometimes appearing grey due to heavy frosting. It exhibits weak daylight fluorescence but does present some spectacularly large crystals and groups.
For those attending the Munich Show (October 22–25), you can get an exclusive first look at the Pumpkin Pie Pocket at the Crystal Classics booth (B1.p18), where we will have a small selection of specimens available.
