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Quartz |
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What is Quartz?Quartz is a chemical compound consisting of one part silicon and two parts oxygen. It is silicon dioxide (SiO2). It is the most abundant mineral found at Earth's surface and its unique properties make it one of the most useful natural substances. Where is Quartz Found?Quartz is the most abundant and widely distributed mineral found at Earth's surface. It is present and plentiful in all parts of the world. It forms at all temperatures. It is abundant in igneous, metamorphic and sedimentary rocks. It is highly resistant to both mechanical and chemical weathering. This durability makes it the dominant mineral of mountaintops and the primary constituent of beach, river and desert sand. Quartz is ubiquitous, plentiful and durable. Minable deposits are found throughout the world. What are the Uses for Quartz?Quartz is one of the most useful natural materials. Its usefulness can be linked to its physical and chemical properties. It has a hardness of seven on the Mohs Scale which makes it very durable. It is chemically inert in contact with most substances. It has electrical properties and heat resistance that make it valuable in electronic products. Its luster, color and diaphaneity make it useful as a gemstone and also in the making of glass. Uses of Quartz in Glass MakingGeological processes have occasionally deposited sands that are composed of almost 100% quartz grains. These deposits have been identified and produced as sources of high purity silica sand. These sands are used in the glassmaking industry. Quartz sand is used in the production of container glass, flat plate glass, specialty glass and fiberglass. Uses of Quartz as an AbrasiveThe high hardness of quartz, seven on the Mohs Scale, makes it harder than most other natural substances. As such it is an excellent abrasive material. Quartz sands and finely ground silica sand are used for sand blasting, scouring cleansers, grinding media, and grit for sanding and sawing. Uses of Quartz as a Foundry SandQuartz is very resistant to both chemicals and heat. It is therefore often used as a foundry sand. With a melting temperature higher than most metals it can be used for the molds and cores of common foundry work. Refractory brick are often made of quartz sand because of its high heat resistance. Quartz sand is also used as a flux in the smelting of metals. Uses in the Petroleum IndustryQuartz sand has a high resistance to being crushed. In the petroleum industry sandy slurries are forced down oil and gas wells under very high pressures. This high pressure fractures the reservoir rocks and the sandy slurry injects into the fractures. The durable sand grains hold the fractures open after the pressure is released. These open fractures facilitate the flow of natural gas into the well bore. Many Other Quartz Sand UsesQuartz sand is used as a filler in the manufacture of rubber, paint and putty. Screened and washed, carefully sized quartz grains are used as filter media and roofing granules. Quartz sands are used for traction in the railroad and mining industries. These sands are also used in recreation on golf courses, volleyball courts, baseball fields, children's sand boxes and beaches. Uses of Quartz CrystalsHigh quality quartz crystals are single-crystal silica with optical or electronic properties that make them useful for specialty purposes. USGS estimates that about ten billion quartz crystals are used every year. Electronics grade crystals can be used in filters, frequency controls, timers, electronic circuits that become important components in cell phones, watches, clocks, games, television receivers, computers, navigational instruments and other products. Optical-grade crystals can be used as lenses and windows in lasers and other specialized devices. Although some natural quartz crystals are used in these applications, most of these special crystals are now manufactured. Special Silica Stone Uses"Silica stone" is an industrial term for materials such as quartzite, novaculite and other microcrystalline quartz rocks. These are used to produce abrasive tools, deburring media, grinding stones, hones, oilstones, stone files, tube-mill liners and whetstones. TripoliTripoli is crystalline silica of an extremely fine grain size (less than ten micrometers). Commercial tripoli is a nearly pure silica material that is used for a variety of mild abrasive purposes which include: soaps, toothpastes, metal polishing compounds, jewelry polishing compounds and buffing compounds. Tripoli is also used in brake friction products, fillers in enamel, caulking compounds, plastic, paint, rubber and refractories. |
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Translucent pink "rose" quartz in the rough. Specimen is about four inches (ten centimeters) across. 
Translucent rose quartz - cut and polished beads. Each bead is about ten millimeters in diameter. 
"Glass sand" is a sandstone that is composed almost entirely of quartz grains. Pictured here is a specimen of the Oriskany Sandstone from Hancock, West Virginia. In a few locations the Oriskany is over 99% pure quartz. Much of it has been used for container glass but some of it has been selected for use in making lenses for the largest telescopes. Specimen is about four inches (ten centimeters across). 
Transparent "rock crystal" quartz. This specimen shows the conchoidal fracture (fracture that produces curved surfaces) that is characteristic of the mineral. Specimen is about four inches (ten centimeters) across and is from Minas Gerais, Brazil. 
Chert is a microcrystaline or cryptocrystalline quartz. It occurs as nodules and concretionary masses and less frequently as a layered deposit. This specimen is about four inches (ten centimeters) across and is from Joplin, Missouri. 
Silicified "petrified" wood is formed when buried plant debris is infiltrated with mineral-bearing waters which precipitate quartz. This quartz infills the cavities within the wood and often replaces the woody tissues. This specimen is about four inches (ten centimeters) across and is from Yuma County, Arizona. 
A Herkimer "Diamond" quartz crystal in dolostone. This specimen is about six inches (fifteen centimeters) across and is from Middleville, New York. 
"Novaculite" is a dense, cryptocrystalline variety of quartz with a fine-grained and very uniform texture. As quartz, it has a hardness of 7 (harder than steel) and is used as a "whetstone" for sharpening knives. 
Aventurine is colorful variety of quartz that contains abundant shiny inclusions of minerals such as mica or hematite. It is often cut and polished for use as an ornamental stone. Common colors for aventurine are green, orange and blue. This specimen is about four inches (ten centimeters) across and is from India. 
Purple crystalline quartz is known as "amethyst". When transparent and of high quality it is often cut as a gemstone. This specimen is about four inches (ten centimeters) across and is from Guanajuato, Mexico. 
Flint is a variety of microcrystalline or cryptocrystalline quartz. It occurs as nodules and concretionary masses and less frequently as a layered deposit. It breaks consistently with a conchoidal fracture and was one of the first materials used to make tools by early people. They used it to make cutting tools. After thousands of years, people continue to use it. It is presently used as the cutting edge in some of the finest surgical tools. This specimen is about four inches (ten centimeters) across and is from Dover Cliffs, England.
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