Chalcedony

A variety of Quartz

Depending on the context, the term "chalcedony" has different meanings.

1. A more general term for all varieties of quartz that are made of microscopic or submicroscopic crystals, the so-called microcrystalline varieties of quartz. Examples are the different types of agate, jasper, chert, chrysoprase, onyx, pietersite, etc.


2. In the strict sense, and in the scientific literature, "chalcedony" designates aggregates of parallelly grown ("fibrous") quartz crystals of microscopic and sub-microscopic size. Based on the conspicuous behaviour of thin sections of chalcedony in polarized light, at least two types can be distinguished (Michel-Lévy and Munier-Chalmas, 1892; Correns and Nagelschmidt, 1933; Braitsch, 1957; Frondel, 1978; Flörke et al. 1991):
- length-fast chalcedony, with crystallites stacked perpendicular to the c-axis, and the resulting fibers being elongated either along [1120] or -more rarely - along [1010]. The fibers may be twisted around the elongation axis.
- length-slow chalcedony or Quartzine, with crystallites stacked parallel to the c-axis, and the resulting fibers being elongated along [0001], like in macrocrystalline quartz.

Both types tend to develop radially grown "fibers", resulting in botryoidal, rounded and stalactitic habits. They often show concentric banding perpendicular to the fiber orientation and are then called Agate.
Length-fast chalcedony and quartzine may be found intergrown. The crystallites are commonly polysynthetically twinned by the Brazil law (Graetsch, 1994; Cady et al 1998; Xu et al 1998).
It is not possible to distinguish the types with the naked eye. Length-fast chalcedony is far more common than quartzine.

Aggregates of randomly intergrown microscopic grains are called "microquartz" (Flörke et al, 1991; Graetsch, 1994). The more general term explained under (1) includes length-slow and length-fast chalcedony as well as microquartz.

Most chalcedony contains small amounts of the silica mineral Mogánite, usually between 1% and 20% (Heaney and Post, 1992). Aging slowly converts the mogánite into quartz and results in mogánite-free chalcedony (Moxon, 2004).
Chalcedony contains small amounts of water, both as molecular water and bound in silanole (Si-OH) groups (Frondel, 1982).


3. A term sometimes used for chalcedony that is not agate, jasper or another sub-variety. Used in particular for botryoidal specimens.