Quartz

Mt Ida, Montgomery Co., Arkansas, USA
© 2000 John H. Betts

Show Quartz Photos (3773)

Formula:

SiO

System:

Trigonal

Colour:

Colorless, Purple, Rose, ...

Lustre:

Vitreous

Hardness:

Name:

From the German "Quarz", of uncertain origin.

Polymorph of:

Coesite, Cristobalite, Tridymite

Quartz Group

Quartz is the most common mineral found on the surface of the Earth. A significant component of many igneous, metamorphic and sedimentary rocks, this natural form of silicon dioxide is found in an impressive range of varieties and colours. There are many names for different varieties: Crypto-crystalline varieties of Quartz are listed separately under Chalcedony, and include the Agate family.

Classification of Quartz

IMA status:

Valid - first described prior to 1959 (pre-IMA) - "Grandfathered"

Strunz 8th edition ID:

4/D.01-10

Nickel-Strunz 10th (pending) edition ID:

4.DA.05

4 : OXIDES (Hydroxides, V[5,6] vanadates, arsenites, antimonites, bismuthites, sulfites, selenites, tellurites, iodates)
D : Metal: Oxygen = 1:2 and similar
A : With small cations: Silica family

Dana 7th edition ID:

75.1.3.1

Dana 8th edition ID:

75.1.3.1

75 : TECTOSILICATES Si Tetrahedral Frameworks
1 : Si Tetrahedral Frameworks - SiO₂ with [4] coordinated Si

Hey's CIM Ref.:

7.8.1

7 : Oxides and Hydroxides
8 : Oxides of Si

mindat.org URL:

http://www.mindat.org/min-3337.html
Please feel free to link to this page.

Occurrences of Quartz

Geological Setting:

Most of them...

Physical Properties of Quartz

Lustre:

Vitreous

Diaphaneity (Transparency):

Transparent, Translucent

Colour:

Colorless, Purple, Rose, Black, Yellow, Brown, Green, Orange, etc.

Streak:

White

Hardness (Mohs):

Hardness Data:

Mohs hardness reference species

Comment:

Some variability by direction.

Tenacity:

Brittle

Cleavage:

Poor/Indistinct
The rhombohedral cleavage r{1011} is most often seen, there are at least six others reported.

Fracture:

Conchoidal

Comment:

Tough when massive

Density (measured):

2.65 - 2.66 g/cm³

Density (calculated):

2.66 g/cm³

Crystallography of Quartz

Crystal System:

Trigonal

Class (H-M):

3 2 - Trapezohedral

Space Group:

P3₁ 2 1

Cell Parameters:

a = 4.9133Å, c = 5.4053Å

Ratio:

a:c = 1 : 1.1

Unit Cell Volume:

V 113.00 Å³ (Calculated from Unit Cell)

Morphology:

Typically long prismatic with steep pyramidal terminations, but may be short prismatic to nearly bipyramidal; fibrous (agate & chalcedony)

Twinning:

Dauphine law.
Brazil law.
Japan law.
Others for beta-quartz...

Crystal Atlas:

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Click on an icon to view

Quartz no.5 - Goldschmidt (1913-1926)

Quartz no.7 - Goldschmidt (1913-1926)

Quartz no.9 - Goldschmidt (1913-1926)

Quartz no.10 - Goldschmidt (1913-1926)

Quartz no.12 - Goldschmidt (1913-1926)

Quartz no.23 - Goldschmidt (1913-1926)

Quartz no.35 - Goldschmidt (1913-1926)

Quartz no.46 - Goldschmidt (1913-1926)

Quartz no.47 - Goldschmidt (1913-1926)

Quartz no.96 - Goldschmidt (1913-1926)

Quartz no.121 - Goldschmidt (1913-1926)

About Crystal Atlas

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The mindat.org Crystal Atlas allows you to view a selection of crystal drawings of real and idealised crystal forms for this mineral and, in certain cases, 3d rotating crystal objects. You need Java to see these. You can download Java for free - click here to download Java

The 3d models and java code are kindly provided by www.smorf.nl. You can control the movement of the models by holding down the left mouse-button over the 3d model and moving your mouse. Keyboard controls are:

: default positions

t/T	: decrease/increase transparency	x/X	: next/previous texture
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Structure

Reference
Kihara K (1990) An X-ray study of the temperature dependence of the quartz structure Sample: at T = 298 K. European Journal of Mineralogy 2:63-77.

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More Crystal Structures
Click here to view more crystal structures at the American Mineralogist Crystal Structure Database

X-Ray Powder Diffraction:

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Radiation - Copper Kα
Data courtesy of RRUFF project at University of Arizona, used with permission.

X-Ray Powder Diffraction:

d-spacing		Intensity
4.257		(20)
3.324		(10)
2.457		(10)
2.282		(10)
2.127		(10)
1.8179		(10)
1.5418		(10)

Optical Data of Quartz

Type:

Uniaxial (+)

RI values:

n_ω = 1.543 - 1.545 n_ε = 1.552 - 1.554

Maximum Birefringence:

δ = 0.009

Chart shows birefringence interference colour range (at 30µm thickness) and does not take into account mineral colouration.

Surface Relief:

Low

Chemical Properties of Quartz

Formula:

SiO

Essential elements:

O, Si

All elements listed in formula:

O, Si

Relationship of Quartz to other Species

4.DA.05

Seifertite

SiO

4.DA.10

Opal

SiO

·nH

4.DA.10

Tridymite

SiO

4.DA.15

Cristobalite

SiO

4.DA.20

Mogánite

SiO

4.DA.25

Melanophlogite

46SiO

·6(N

,CO

)·2(CH

)

4.DA.30

Lechatelierite

SiO

4.DA.35

Coesite

SiO

4.DA.40

Stishovite

SiO

4.DA.45

Keatite

7.8.2

Coesite

SiO

7.8.3

Tridymite

SiO

7.8.4

Stishovite

SiO

7.8.5

Cristobalite

SiO

7.8.6

Lechatelierite

SiO

7.8.7

Silhydrite

3SiO

·H

7.8.8

Opal

SiO

·nH

7.8.9

Mogánite

SiO

Other Names for Quartz

Synonyms:

Alpha-Quartz	α-Quartz	Azetulite	Azeztulite	β-Quartz (of Geophys. Lab)
Brazillian Pebble	Cactus Quartz	Conite (of Macculloch)	Konilite	Lemurian Seed Crystal
Lodolite	Low Quartz	Mexican Diamond	Quartz-α	Quartz-alpha
Quertz

Arabic names:

مرو

Bulgarian names:

Кварц

Catalan names:

Quars

Czech names:

Křemen

Danish names:

Kvarts

Dutch names:

Kwarts

Esperanto names:

Kvarco

Estonian names:

Kvarts

Finnish names:

Kvartsi

German names:

Quarz

Greek names:

Hebrew names:

Hungarian names:

Kvarc

Indonesian names:

Kuarsa

Irish Gaelic names:

Grian Cloch

Italian names:

Quarzo

Japanese names:

水晶

Korean names:

석영

Macedonian names:

Кварц

Norwegian names:

Kvarts

Polish names:

Kwarc

Portuguese names:

Quartzo

Romanian names:

Cuarţ

Russian names:

Кварц

Serbian (Cyrillic Script) names:

Кварц

Slovak names:

Kremeň

Spanish names:

Cuarzo

Swedish names:

Kvarts

Traditional Chinese names:

石英

Turkish names:

Kuvars

Ukrainian names:

Кварц

Varieties:

Other Information

Electrical:

pizeoelectric, pyroelectric, may be tribolumiscent.

Thermal Behaviour:

Stable below 573 C.

Health Warning:

Quartz is usually quite harmless unless broken or powdered. Broken crystals and masses may have razor-sharp edges that can easily cut skin and flesh. Handle with care. Do not grind dry since long-term exposure to finely ground powder may lead to silicosis.

Industrial Uses:

Ore for silicon, glassmaking, frequency standards, optical instruments, silica source for concrete setting, filtering agents as sand. Major component of sand.

References for Quartz

Reference List:

Frondel, Clifford (1962), Dana's System of Mineralogy, 7th Edition: Vol. III.

Reviews in Mineralogy vol 29 Silica: Physical behaviour, geochemistry and materials applications; P.J. Heany and G.V. Gibbs ed. Miineralogical Society of America, 1994, 606pp.

Kushiro, I. (1969), The system forsterite-diopside-silica with and without water at high pressures: American Journal of Science: 267: 269-294.

Rice, S.J. (1969) Quartz family minerals. California Division of Mines and Geology Mineral Information Service: 22: 35-38.

Feigl, F.J. and Anderson, J.H. (1970) Defects in crystalline quartz: electron paramagnetic resonance of E' vacancy centers associated with germanium impurities. Journal of Physics and Chemistry of Solids: 31: 575-596.

Sprunt, E.S. (1981) Causes of quartz cathodoluminescence colours. Scan. Elec. Micros.: 525-535.

Bohlen, S.R. and Boettcher, A.L. (1982) The quartz-coesite transformation: a precise determination and the effects of other components. Journal of Geophysical Research: 87(B8): 7073-7078.

Richet, P., Bottinga, Y., Deniélou, L., Petitet, J.P., and Téqui, C. (1982) Thermodynamic properties of quartz, cristobalite, and amorphous SiO2: drop calorimetry measurements between 1000 and 1800 K and a review from 0 to 2000 K. Geochimica et Cosmochmica Acta: 46: 2639-2658.

Serebrennikov, A.J., Valter, A.A., Mashkovtsev, R.I., and Scherbakova, M.Ya. (1982) The investigation of defects in shock-metamorphosed quartz. Physics and Chemistry of Minerals: 8: 155-157.

Scandale, E., Stasi, F., and Zarka, A. (1983) Growth defects in a Quartz Druse. ac Dislocations. Journal of Applied Crystallography: 16: 39-403.

Weil, J.A. (1984) A review of electron spin resonance and its applications to the study of paramagnetic defects in crystalline quartz. Physics and Chemistry of Minerals: 10: 149-165.

Scandale, E. and Stasi, F. (1985) Growth defects in Quartz Druses. a Pseudo-basal Dislocations. Journal of Applied Crystallography: 18: 275-278.

Graziani, G., Lucchesi, S., and Scandale, E. (1988) Growth defects and genetic medium of a quartz druse from Traversella, Italy. Neues Jahrbuch für Mineralogie, Abhandlungen: 159: 165-179.

Owen, M.R. (1988) Radiation-damage haloes in quartz. Geology: 16: 529-532.

Ramseyer, K., Baumann, J., Matter, A., and Mullis, J. (1988) Cathodluminescence colours of α-quartz. Mineralogical Magazine: 52: 669-677.

Scandale, E., Stasi, F., Lucchesi, S., and Graziani, G. (1989) Growth marks and genetic conditions in a quartz druse. Neues Jahrbuch für Mineralogie, Abhandlungen: 160: 181-192.

American Mineralogist (1991): 76: 1018.

Agrosì, G., Lattanzi, P., Ruggieri, G., and Scandale, E. (1992) Growth history of a quartz crystal from growth marks and fluid inclusions data. Neues Jahrbuch für Mineralogie, Monatshefte: 7: 289-294.

Rink, W.J., Rendell, H., Marseglia, E.A., Luff, B.J., and Townsend, P.D. (1993) Thermoluminescence spectra of igneous quartz and hydrothermal vein quartz. Physics and Chemistry of Minerals: 20: 353-361.

Berti G.(1994): Microcrystalline properties of quartz by means of XRPD measures. Adv. X-Ray Analysis: 37: 359-366.

Onasch, C.M. and Vennemann, T.W. (1995) Disequilibrium partitioning of oxygen isotopes associated with sector zoning in quartz. Geology: 23: 1103-1106.

Ryckart, R. (1995), Quartz - Monographie.

Stevens Kalceff, M.A. and Phillips, M.R. (1995) Cathodoluminescence microcharacterization of the defect structure of quartz. Physics Review: B 52: 3122-3134.

Plötze, M. and Wolf, D. (1996) EPR- und TL-Spektren von Quartz: Bestrahlungsabhgigheit der [TiO4 -/Li +] 0-Zentren. Ber. Deutsch. Mineral. Gesellsch. 8: 217 (abstr.)

Gaines, Richard V., H. Catherine, W. Skinner, Eugene E. Foord, Brian Mason, Abraham Rosenzweig (1997), Dana's New Mineralogy : The System of Mineralogy of James Dwight Dana and Edward Salisbury Dana, 8th. edition: 1573.

Carpenter, M.A., Salje, E.K.H., Gaeme-Barber, A., Wruck, B., Dove, M.T., and Knight, K.S. (1998a), Calibration of excess thermodynamic properties and elastic constant variations associated with the α ↔ β phase transition in quartz. American Mineralogist: 83: 2-22.

Silica: Physical Behavior, Geochemistry and Materials Applications Vol 29. Mineralogical Society of America Reviews in Mineralogy, 606p.

Acta Crystallographica: B32: 2456-2459.

Götze, J., Plötze, M., Fuchs, H., and Habermann, D. (2001) Origin, spectral characteristics and practical applications of the cathodoluminescence (CL) of quartz - a review. Mineralogy and Petrology: 71: 225-250.

Botis, S., Nokhrin, S.M., Pan, Y., Xu, Y., and Bonli, T. (2005) Natural radiation-induced damage in quartz. I. Correlations between cathodoluminence colors and paramagnetic defects. Canadian Mineralogist: 43: 1565-1580.

Götze, J., Plötze, M., and Trautmann, T. (2005) Structure and luminescence characteristics of quartz from pegmatites. American Mineralogist: 90: 13-21.