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Posted by on Nov 13, 2020 in TellMeWhy |

How Will You Describe Quartz?

How Will You Describe Quartz?

How Will You Describe Quartz? Quartz, the commonest of all minerals, is made of silica. It is found in most kinds of rocks in colorless, often transparent form. There are also colored varieties including semi-precious stones such as amethyst and cairngorm.

Quartz is extremely hard and will scratch glass. It is the chief constituent of quartzite, sandstone, and sand, and has many industrial uses. Quartz crystals are essential components of modern electronic watches.

Quartz is the second most abundant mineral in Earth’s crust after feldspar. It occurs in nearly all acid igneous, metamorphic, and sedimentary rocks. It is an essential mineral in such silica-rich felsic rocks as granites, granodiorites, and rhyolites.

Is quartz rock worth any money? Quartz is more valuable when it is completely intact; however, a piece of naturally occurring quartz of unusual color is still worth more and of higher quality than a smooth piece of manufactured plastic or glass designed to imitate quartz.

Most mineral reference guides list Chalcedony as an individual mineral, but it is a variety of Quartz. It is the microcrystalline form of Quartz, forming only occurs in microscopic, compacted crystals.

Some forms of Quartz, especially the gemstone forms, have their color enhanced. Almost all forms of the yellow-brown variety Citrine are in fact heat-treated. Much Amethyst is also heat-treated to intensify color, and a green transparent form known as “Green Amethyst” or “Prasiolite” is formed by heat-treating certain types of Amethyst.

There is also a transparent sky blue form of Quartz crystals, as well as a wildly iridescent type that is synthetically colored by irradiation of gold. In some localities, Hematite forms a thin red or brown layer internally in the Quartz crystal, giving it a natural bright red to brown coloring, and sometimes even a mild natural iridescence.

Quartz often forms the inner lining of geodes. Most geodes have an inner layer of larger crystalline Quartz, and an outer layer of Chalcedony or banded Agate. In conclusion, now you know how to describe quartz.

Content for this question contributed by Natalie Portman, resident of Chino, San Bernardino County, California, USA