Quartz: What is it?

Presentation about quartz.

1. Quartz Alesia Simmons and Beth LaFond MGMS 7401 Rock and Mineral Wiki

2. Quartz: What is it? Quartz is a mineral. Often quartz is clear to milky, with other color variations depending on what impurities are present in its formation ( Stoiber , 1945, pp.219-229). It is mainly composed of silicon dioxide. It is the second most abundant mineral on earth after feldspar.

3. Where is Quartz found? Quartz can be found in all types of rocks. Sedimentary, igneous and metamorphic all contain traces of quartz. Some sources claim that quartz can be found everywhere on earth. Brazil hosts the largest amount of types of quartz found to date ( Sorden ).

4. Where is Quartz found? (cont.) Since quartz can be found all over earth, quartz varies in value depending on it’s clarity, cut, size, and condition. Quartz is usually mined from veins within rock ( Sorden ). There was a large quartz vein running through Gwinnett County in 2008. Gwinnett County Quartz Finding

5. Gwinnett County Quartz Vein In 2008, a quartz vein was discovered in Gwinnett County, GA. The exact location was never specified (Barrett, 2011). Jason Barrett is credited with its discovery.

6. Physical Properties of Quartz Because of the versatility that quartz has, it is used for many different things. Quartz is often used in glass making as well as for decorative gemstones in jewelry. Common gemstone names for quartz are amethyst, citrine, jasper, rose quartz and smoky quartz.

7. How does Quartz form? While quartz can be found in all forms of rock, it is formed in igneous rocks originally. Molten magma slowly makes its way up to the surface of the earth. As the magma moves, it is getting cooled because its farther away from the center of the earth. This causes crystals to form because of the presence of silicates, oxygen, and other elements present in the magma. As the magma cools gradually, the crystals will extend out forming larger deposits of quartz within the now solidified magma. The presence of other elements such as titanium or iron oxide, give the minerals their different hues.

8. How does Quartz Form? Quartz forms from silicate which compounds over time without being disturbed. Since quartz is fairly hard, it stands up to erosion better than other minerals causing it to be more abundant.

9. What is Quartz used for? Quartz has been used for many different reasons (King, “Quartz”). Some quartz has been used in silicon based computer chips. In Spruce Pine, North Carolina, the Thomas family has owned the gem mine for decades and has mined almost every kind of precious gemstone (“Gem Mining History”). Luther Thomas, Early 1900s

10. More Uses for Quartz When put under pressure, quartz will emit a positive charge from one end of the crystal and a negative charge from the other. This makes it useful in many types of electronic applications (Nave). It is often utilized in circuit boards for varying products, as well as frequency control devices.

11. Rose Quartz The largest deposit of rose quartz is found in Brazil in Bahia and Minas Gerais . Bahia Minas Gerais

12. Smoky Quartz Smoky quartz is said to be formed after being exposed to differing amount of radiation and aluminum. This causes the blackish coloring within the crystal. Smoky quartz can be found in many countries across the world including Namibia, Scotland, The U.S.A., Russia, China, and many more.

13. References Barrett , J. (2011, December 8). My quartz spot(very pic heavy) w/video. Mindat Mineralogy Messageboard . Retrieved September 28, 2014, from http:// www.mindat.org /forum.php?read,5,220328,page=2 Gem Mining History. ( n.d. ). Spruce Pine NC Gemstone MineGemstones Jewelry Gifts . Retrieved September 28, 2014, from http:// www.sprucepinegemmine.com /gem-mining-history/ King, H. ( n.d. ). Quartz. Mineral . Retrieved September 26, 2014, from http:// geology.com /minerals/ quartz.shtml Nave, R. ( n.d. ). Quartz. Quartz . Retrieved September 28, 2014, from http:// hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu / hbase / geophys / quartz.html Quartz. ( n.d. ). Minerals Education Coalition . Retrieved September 26, 2014, from http:// www.mineralseducationcoalition.org /minerals/quartz Sorden , S. ( n.d. ). Where is Quartz Found?. Where is Quartz Found? . Retrieved September 28, 2014, from http:// www.geocities.ws / quartz_project / location.html Stoiber , R., Tolman , C., & Butler, R. (1945). Geology of Quartz Crystal Deposits. American Mineralogist , 30 , 219-229. Retrieved September 26, 2014, from http:// www.minsocam.org / msa / collectors_corner /arc/ quartzdep.htm