Open Adit™ - Quartz Datasheet

Home

Galleries

New Arrivals

News

Links

Site Map

FAQ

Back

Quartz is the second most abundant mineral in the Earth's crust. It has a hexagonal crystal structure made of triagonal crystallized silica (silicon dioxide, SiO₂). The typical shape is a six-sided prism that ends in six-sided pyramids, although these are often distorted, or so massive that only part of the shape is apparent from a mined specimen. Additionally a bed is a common form, particularly for varieties such as amethyst, where the crystals grow up from a matrix and thus only one termination pyramid is present. A quartz geode consists of a hollow rock (usually with an approximately spherical shape) with a core lined with a bed of crystals.

Chemistry:

SiO₂ - Silicon Dioxide

Class:

Silicates

Subclass:

Tectosilicates

Group:

Quartz

Varieties:

Rock crystal, citrine, morion, amethyst, rose quartz, chalcedony, chrysoprase, jasper, agate, onyx, sardonyx, aventurine, heliotrope, tiger's eye, youngite.

Crystal:

Triagonal

Color:

Red, pink, green, brown, yellow, black, blue-gray, purple, colorless.

Streak:

White

Luster:

Vitreous

Diaphaneity:

Transparent to Translucent, opaque

2.6

None

Conchoidal

Long to short prismatic, acicular, dipyramidal to tabular crystals, concretions, geodes, granular, massive

Luminescence:

Non-fluorescent

Frequency:

Common

Origin:

Magmatic in different types of rocks, mainly in granites, granitic pegmatites and volcanic rock; metamorphic in different types of rocks, mainly in quartzites and mica schists; hydrothermal in different types of ore and Alpine type veins; secondary in oxidation zone of ore deposits; also in different types of sedimentary rocks and in organic remains, also in placers.

Occurence:

Amethyst comes from Brazil, Uraguay, Mexico, Russia, Thunder Bay area of Canada, and the United States. Smoky Quartz; Brazil, Colorado, Scotland, Swiss Alps and China. Rose quartz from Brazil. Citrine is found with many amethyst deposits. Rock crystal come from Brazil, Arkansas, Africa. Agate from Brazil, Lake Superior region, Montana, Mexico and Germany.

Application:

An important raw material in the glass industry. Gemstones and ornamental stones

Quartz Gallery

Metaphysical Properties

Home

Galleries

Add to Favorites

News

Site Map

FAQ