Crystal Quartz
From GeoClasses
Contents |
Initial Summary
I would like to do my project on Crystal Quartz. I will discuss the different types of quartz. I will also discuss where they can be found and how they are found. I find this extremely interesting because i love to go to the Ozarks in Arkansas, and digging for quartz is something you must do if you ever get the opportunity to go. I think that this will be an interesting topic for anyone that enjoys the outdoors and learning about the things that are simply right under your feet.
What is a Quartz
No matter whom you are or where you live, you should not have to dig very long or very hard to find a silicon dioxide specimen, more commonly known as Crystal Quartz. This should not surprise anyone, because the main ingredients that make up a quartz crystal, silicon and oxygen, are the two most abundant substances found in the earths continental crust. Crystal Quartz stands out among most other rocks, because they have very different features than the normal rock found in your driveway. According to quartzpage.com, it has very hard crystalline material with a glass like look. These elegant looking crystals are well known for their six sided prisms with a six sided pyramid at their ends. . If the crystal is pure, the quartz will be colorless, although you may see quartz of all different colors varieties such as amethyst, citrine, or smoky quartz. A more dense form of quartz can have no visible crystals. An example of this would be the multicolored agate and the gray flint.
Quartz Varieties
The different kinds of quartz are classified into two groups:
Microcrystalline Varieties
Those that form crystals such as amethyst. When people speak of quartz they usually are talking about microcrystalline quartz.
Cryptocrystalline or Microcrystalline Varieties
Quartz that do not show any visible crystals. They have a dense structure, such as agate.
Quartz Occurrence
Quartz can occur in hydrothermal veins and pegmatite. According to Wikipedia.com Pegmatite is a very course grained igneous rock that’s around 20 mm or so. Those quartz crystals that are well formed can reach several meters in length and can weigh hundreds of kilograms. Some of the veins can have precious metals like gold and silver. The erosion of the pegmatite can reveal expansive crystals known as “cathedrals”.
History
Quartz is known from European literature on mining dating back to the 14th century. It is probably from German or Slavic origin. According to Wikipedia.com, some souces insist that the name is from the Saxon word “Querkluftertz”, which means cross-vein ore.Quartz is found regularly in passage tombs cemeteries in Europe used in burial contexts. Before the 1600’s it was believed that quartz was to be water ice, permanently frozen over long periods of time. The word “crystal” actually comes from the Greek word for ice. These theories were supported in the fact that they were found near glaciers in the Alps, but not on volcanic mountains. In the 9th century, glass was finally produced from quartz. In the 17th century it was discovered that no matter how distorted a quartz crystal, the long prism faces always made a perfect 60 degree angle, which paved the way for modern crystallography. Quartz piezoelectric properties were discovered in 1880. And the first quartz oscillator clock was made in 1927. Quartz has the ability to rotate the plane of polarization of light passing through them. They will vibrate if an alternating electric current is applied to them. This makes them very important in commerce for making pressure gauges, oscillators, resonators, and watches.
Fitting "Quartz" into Your Vacation
One of the best places in the southern part of the United States to dig and collect crystals is in the Ozarks located in Arkansas.
Digging
The best places to find crystals are the mines. Be sure to bring the appropriate tools and supplies with you in the mine. These supplies and tools include: garden scratcher, cushion to sit on, lots of cheap gloves, rock hammer, wrapping paper, and a bucket for the crystals.
If you are working the veins in the ground you will also need a pry bar with a sharp point, breaker bar, heavy leather gloves, and LOTS of energy. Yes, this is just a little bit more work than the mines.
Cleaning
After you have found your prizes you should know how to clean them so you will not have to show them off dirty. For a few pieces an old toothbrush can be used to get the clay off. Otherwise get yourself a mesh screen from your local hardware store. Remove the wrapping from the crystals and set them on the screen to dry out for a couple of days. Always remember that the crystals cannot be placed into direct sunlight. They must be placed in a shaded area to prevent the crystals from heating up too rapidly. After the clay is well dried and begins to crack, rinse with the garden hose. Repeat this cycle over a couple of days.
After this step you must now remove the iron. Depending on how light or heavy the iron stains are, you must either soak or cook them in an acid solution. Please be sure to remember that although the chemical solution is a weak organic acid, it can still be extremely harmful to you, especially if you breathe the fumes. You must use it in a well ventilated area, such as outside!
What’s it worth?
There are several factors in determining the value of any mineral. The saying, “Beauty is in the eye of the beholder” is something one must remember. In gemstones, the 4 “C’s” are the determining factors when grading a stone: Clarity, Color, Carat, and Cut. Condition is also an important factor: the internal flaws, external breakage, luster matrix, aesthetics, and scarcity. It is also important to know that quartz crystal is unlike other gemstones in that it does not cleave or break along flat surfaces. Instead it forms concoidial fractures when it breaks. This is important because you cannot take your quartz to a jewler to cut as you would most other gemstones.
References
Rockhounding Arkansas (1998)Digging for Quartz Retrieved on July 5, 2008. http://rockhoundingar.com/quartz.html
David Barthelmy (2000-2005)Minerals Retrieved on July 6, 2008. http://www.webmineral.com/data/Quartz.shtml
Amethyst Galleries, Inc. (1995-2008)Quartz Retrieved on july 6, 2008 http://mineral.galleries.com/minerals/silicate/quartz/quartz.htm
Real Gems.org (2007-2008) Crystal- Agate Retrieved on July 6, 2008 http://www.realgems.org/list_of_gemstones/quartz.html
Wikipedia (2007) Quartz Crystal Retrieved on July 6, 2008 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quartz
