In the picture above, large black rectangular aegerine crystals are prominent in a rock type known as a pegmatite. Pegmatites are igneous rocks characterized by extremely large crystals. Sometimes they also contain unusual mineral species. This sample was collected from Magnet Cove, Arkansas. Magnet Cove, which is approximately 10 miles east of Hot Springs, is one of the few places in Arkansas where igneous rock is exposed at the surface.
Between 84 and 100 million years ago, magma was injected into the earth’s crust under central Arkansas where it slowly cooled and crystallized into igneous rock. Millions of years of erosion eventually unearthed that rock. Despite only being exposed over approximately 5 square miles, the rocks of Magnet Cove have yielded more than 100 different minerals. Rare minerals have been discovered there including a new variety of zirconium-rich garnet called Kimzeyite.
Office of the State Geologist Blog 